Two Little Big Words: Fear and Chaos
by believeitornotimamom
Summary: Just as the Guardians were getting over the Algea nightmare, Pitch returns, enlisting his daughter. When the power of fear and the power of nature combine, no one is safe, but can Mother nature's best friend help the Guardians defeat Pitch? Can Bunny get over their long time rivalry? JackXTooth, BunnyXOC (Female Groundhog). Sequel to A Little Big Word. Original Grabbit
1. Frost and Feathers

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Rise of the Guardians or any of the characters, but Gretchen and the Grabbit ship are all mine. I'm happy for anyone to use it as long as you credit me ;)**

**Yey! Sequel! I could not help myself, this writing stuff is addictive! Besides after waking up with no crazy PM from MagicGold34 for two days in a row my life was feeling a bit boring ;)**

**Thanks to Guess for the awesome suggestion about Pitch turning kids into fearlings. I'll twist it in a crazy way and use it :)**

**AnonymousWolf those were great suggestions! I can't believe no one has used them already! Sadly my crazy brain had already though of an OC, hopefully you'll fuind it along those lines.**

**And thanks to Alexia04 for offering to help. I have a vague idea where this is going, I'll just write and see where it takes us. I think that worked with my previous fanfic. If I do get stuck, I'll give you a shout.**

**Enjoy the fluff, because it won't take ten chapters for Hell to break loose this time around.**

**Oh, and the sexy fluff is always dedicated to ObsidianLove ;) although hopefully I can give you a new heated ship that you can love without feeling bad about it :)**

* * *

"Tooth?" said Jack, knocking on her bedroom window.

"J-Jack! What are you doing here?!" asked his girlfriend.

"The question is: what are you doing here?" said the winter boy, letting himself in.

"I- I'm working!" she squeaked.

"Toothie, you're a horrible liar. Working? From your bedroom?" he asked amused, leaning casually on his staff.

Her cheeks were on fire and Jack started slowly walking towards her, leaving his staff against the wall.

"Did you know the party started an hour ago?" he asked, cupping her chin in his hand, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Bunny seems to think that you're not coming, something about you not letting even him see you."

"I've just been busy" she said, trying to look away again.

"So... it seems that, despite all my attempts to make you feel beautiful, you're still self conscious about your feathers" said Jack, running his fingers on a semi bold patch on her lower back, one he was rather fond of.

Last spring, Tooth and Sandy had been kidnaped by the Algae, who tortured them and almost took the fairy's life. When her fellow Guardians found her, she was deadly wounded and missing a lot of feathers all over her body. Since then, she had made a full recovery and her feathers had been growing back slowly, but her plumage still looked uneven and her pale skin was still visible in some places.

"Of course no, I don't care about

my feathers!" said her lips, but her eyes said something completely different.

Jack grinned, an idea forming in his head. He snaked his arms around her waist, pressing her tightly against him, his eyes filled with desire.

"Jack, let go of me" she said, pushing him away to no avail. Truth be told, he wasn't really stronger than she was and she could have escape his embrace if she really wanted to.

"Then maybe, instead of beautiful, I should make you feel sexy" he hissed in her ear, his cold breath sending chills down her spine.

"Jack..." she said, almost whispering "we've talked about this..."

"We've also talked about going to the Christmas party..." he said, his lips caressing her neck, leaving a trace of goosebumps. "Or... we could just stay here and do this..." he smiled, his hands dangerously low on her back.

Jack knew they were going to the party. He was happy to wait until Tooth was ready, but it was still exhilarating to tease her, to feel her knees getting weak, to know he had this much power over her, that she was his, even before he had made her his. He knew that if he really pushed her, she would give in, but he wanted their first time to be like that kiss, after the whole Algae nightmare was over. That soft, gentle kiss, free from fear and hesitation, full of joy and certainty.

"OK, OK! We'll go to the party..." she said, biting her lip. His cold hands had just joined the party on her neck. "You know you're still kissing me, don't you?"

"Umm... Am I? he said, moving to her jaw. "You know I'm not restraining you anymore, don't you?" he said smiling, suddenly making her aware that his hands couldn't be on her neck and her waist at the same time.

She pulled away from him and went to lock herself in the bathroom.

"You have two minutes or I'm freezing the door open!" said the winter spirit, suppressing a laugh.

It was good that she ran away, he also needed to catch his breath. Being so close to her, the sweet flower nectar emanating from her skin, her warm body next to his and her soft feathers tickling his skin... It was beginning to take a toll on Jack's self control, so he decided to think about something else instead.

This Christmas party was really important for the winter boy and he really wanted Tooth there. For 300 years, he spied on families celebrating the holiday, wishing he had a family too. But this year would be different, because this year he did have a family to celebrate with, and he wasn't missing it for the world... well, maybe he would have happily missed it if Tooth had decided to stay.

"Is that a new hoodie?" asked his girlfriend, flying out of the bathroom.

"Oh, yeah! It's my present from Jamie and Sophie. I think Mandy made it herself, look it's got my name on it!" he said turning around to show her a hoodie almost identical to his old one, but with his name crocheted in silver thread on the back, adorned by a little snowflake.

Amanda Bennett, or Mandy as Jack called her lately, was Jamie's and Sophie's mom, and the only grown up in the world who could see the Guardian of Fun. They were not sure how, since Mandy couldn't see any of the other Guardians, but it was probably to do with the fact that Mandy and her kids were the last descendants of his sister, Abigail. It took Jack a few months to get used to Jamie and Sophie calling him 'Uncle Jack', and he still felt something warm on his chest every time they did.

"I went to see them this morning while North was sleeping. Of course she pretended that she couldn't see me in front of her husband, but they smiled once in a while and left a present for me next to Jamie's window" he said grinning.

Jack could barely believe that this time last year he was all alone, and now he had not one, but two families to celebrate the holidays with.

"That's amazing, Jack! I'm very happy that you've found your family" she said, smiling warmly.

He smiled back.

"Ready?" he said, offering his hand to her.

When she took it, he pulled her close and kissed her lips gently.

"You're beautiful" he said "you're always beautiful"

Jack opened a portal to the North Pole, knowing she was afraid to fly outside and being seen.

* * *

**oh, and I haven't changed, I'm still an Ania for reviews so please don't be shy ;)**


	2. Christmas

**Wow! Thanks guys and gals! I feel like a famous writer now! I just spit out a few words that tell you nothing about the story and you love it! Thanks for the support!**

**I'm really thankful to you all for favoriting me and my stories, it means the world :)**

* * *

"Toothie!" said Bunny wrapping her in a bear hug. "this is one bet I don't mind loosing!"

He had never been affectionate like that before, her being the one always initiating what little physical contact they ever had, but that changed last spring, when the Guardians thought Toothie was dead.

"You look great, love! Why were you even hiding?" he meant that. Considering what she looked like a few months ago, she was really gorgeous now.

"I wasn't hiding!" she said. Jack and Bunny shared a glance.

"I told you already, you're a terrible liar" said the winter boy, smiling.

"Next time I go bring you flowers and you pretend not to be at the Palace, I'm taking my flowers with me, Sheila!" said the pooka, punching her arm softly "nah, you know I'm lying, I hate those little pests."

"Toothie!" said North wrapping her in yet another bear hug. "Glad you could make it!"

Sandy looked at her with his kind eyes, smiling warmly. After what they had been through together, he had a new found respect for her. He admire her for being so soft and caring, yet so brave and strong. Anyone thinking that Tooth was the Guardian's weak link would be very wrong. She was their strength, the glue that bound them together, and a fierce warrior you wouldn't want to mess with.

Tooth wrapped him in hug and kissed his cheek. She too felt closer to the Sand Man now. She admired him for never showing the Algae weakness, except for when se was stabbed, and she saw the pain in his eyes realizing how much he really cared.

As the party went on, they ate, they danced, they exchanged gifts, they listened to the elves singing carrols, they talked, they joked and they played charades. Jack's arms rarely left Tooth's waist, and being so close to her in front of others made their relationship feel alive, real. They were no longer two people, they were one.

As the sun appeared in the sky, Sandy was sleeping in the couch, Jack, Tooth, Bunny and North were telling stories.

"So, what is it between you and The Groundhog, Bunny?" asked Jack, smiling.

Bunny opened his mouth to rant about the annoying, spring delaying spirit, but North spoke first.

"Don't ask, Jack. Unless you want to be sitting here until next Christmas, right Toothie?"

She didn't answer. In fact, they just realized that she had been quiet for quite some time. Jack turned around to look at her and smiled.

"Toothie..." he said, caressing her arm softly. "You'll freeze sleeping next to me like that" she opened her eyes and smiled. "Do you want me to take you home?" he asked.

"I'm sure I can cross a portal by myself" she said, yawning.

"I'm sure you can" the winter spirit said, smiling. "But a gentleman always takes his date back home" he winked.

"OK" she said smiling. She knew he was up to something.

* * *

Once at the Palace, Jack wrapped her in his arms and held her tight, burying his face on his favorite spot, his nose just between her neck and her shoulder, inhaling her intoxicating smell of summer flowers and honey.

"I just wanted to give you your present" he said, taking a little brown pouch from his pocket.

She opened it, smiling. It was a beautiful gold necklace with a single pendant, a heart shaped diamond the size of a small planet.

"I can't take credit, Phill helped me make it" said Jack grinning, pleased with the look on her face. "I thought of giving you an ice sculpture, but I wanted it to last forever... like you and I" he said, turning into horror movie Jack again.

She felt so much love and gratitude that she feared her chest would explode. All she could do was wrap her arms around him and press her lips against his. Her winter boy wanted to be hers forever, and she wanted to be his too.

She didn't know how, but she was transported to a world where there was only Jack; Jack and his minty cool breath; Jack and his lean body pressed against hers; Jack and his cold hand leaving goosebumps on her waist. Her hands somehow made their way under his hoodie, feeling the long, lean muscles of his back. Her tongue playing dangerously with his. And then she felt it: fear. Her body wanted to loose itself in his cold embrace, but her mind was screaming to stop. She was afraid to loose control, she was a afraid to do something 'wrong'. She pushed Jack away from her, violently.

"Tooth... are you OK?" he asked, confused.

One minute he was dancing on a cloud as her soft, wonderful fingers warmed his cold skin, and the next, she pushed him away, an angry look on her face. Did he do something wrong? Jack's brain was working at top speed, trying to remember what his hands were doing. Maybe he had unwillingly crossed the line. But as far as he was aware, his hands were safe, one on her face, the other on her waist. What had just happened?

"Just get out" she said, turning away from him. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him.

"Tooth, c'mon, just tell me what's wrong" he said, his icy blue eyes piercing hers, her body threatening to hold him tight and don't let go.

"Just leave me alone! Get out!" she yelled.

"Fine! You don't wanna talk to me?! Then you don't have to! Enjoy your life, Tooth!" he yelled back, his purple face as cold as his heart.

He couldn't understand why she had gone all psycho on him, but it was her not telling him, not trusting him, combined with the hateful look on her face, which both hurt him and angered him. Frost formed on the floor underneath his feet as he flew away, disappearing with the wind.

* * *

Sandy and Bunny had left the North Pole and North was talking to one of his yetis before going to bed himself, when Jack literally stormed inside the room, bringing wind and snow with him.

"Jack! Back so soon?" asked the russian man. After seeing Jack and Tooth's interactions during the party, he wasn't expecting the winter spirit to come back at all that night. "Are you alright?"

"She... she's a psycho!" said the winter boy, his eyes welling with a mixture of pain and anger.

"Would you like to tell me what happened?" asked North, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I... I don't know what happened. I gave her the necklace, I think she liked it because she hugged me and kissed me, and then she just pushed me away and yelled at me. I wasn't even trying anything, if anything she was the one..." Jack couldn't bring himself to share details with North, but he didn't have to. The elder had understood everything.

"Do you remember at the beginning? When you thought you were in love with Tooth, but you were afraid of what you felt?" asked North.

"What does...?"

"Tooth feels the same way now. A part of her wants to take your relationship to the next level, but she's scared, no? She wasn't angry at you, Jack. She was angry at herself."

Jack understood, but he was still hurt that she didn't trust him. If it was for him, he would live with her, at her Palace. He was just courting her like a gentleman, giving her the time she needed, but he really just wanted to be with her forever, to hold her tight and never let go. He thought she knew that.

Back then, when he was confused, it was a different time. A time when he couldn't be sure of her feelings. But now, after all they've been through she should have no doubts, she should trust him. She should be able to talk to him about anything, especially this.

"What do I do now?" asked Jack, the sparkle gone from his eyes.

"Now you wait. Give her some time, she will come around" said North, squeezing Jack's shoulder.

* * *

**Yes, I did that. Sorry. It kinda needed to happen. Please have faith in me and think of the fluff when they work it out ;)**


	3. Fear and Chaos

"Hi girls, where's Toothie?" asked Bunny.

He had gone to bring flowers for her and he was surprised when he didn't see her working. He thought the whole issue with her feathers was over.

Baby Tooth looked at him with a sad face and pointed towards Tooth's bedroom.

"Is she OK?" he asked a little panicky.

Bunnymund knew that Tooth was more than capable of taking care of herself, but he hadn't yet recovered from last spring, when he thought she was dead. He could still remember that tight, oppressing feeling in his chest.

* * *

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK

Tooth's heart stopped for a second. And then she remembered that the winter boy she was hoping to see never, ever used the door. She didn't answered, she really didn't want to talk to anyone.

"Toothie, it's me, Bunny" he said, as if she would not recognize his voice or his unmistakable accent "can I come in?"

Tooth took a deep breath. She really didn't want to talk about it, especially not with Bunny, but she felt bad about ignoring him for months. She really didn't want to hurt his feelings again.

"Come in" she said, so low that he could barely hear her.

"Toothie, what's wrong, are you sick?" asked the pooka, looking into her sad, magenta eyes.

"I'm fine" she said, turning away, avoiding his gaze.

"Toothie, you're scaring me. What's happening?" he insisted.

Tears menaced to fall from her reddened eyes.

"I... Jack..." she tried to explain, but she couldn't find the words.

Bunny was puzzled. A part of him wanted to just run and kill Jack for breaking his promise of not hurting Tooth, but another part of him remembered the winter spirit at the Christmas party three days ago, looking at Tooth as if she was the most precious thing in the world. It was obvious, even for Bunnymund that Frost loved Toothie. What had happened?

"I'm scared" she said.

She was scared? Of Jack?! The pooka's blood was boiling.

"What exactly did he do?" he asked, a hint of murder in his voice.

Tooth shook her head.

"Nothing. It's me. I'm scared of me!" she said.

Bunny looked at her even more confused. He started to understand the problem. He bet that Snowflake was confused as well. Sheilas... Bunny knew there was no point in asking more question. If she wanted to talk about it, she would have already done so. Besides, he probably wouldn't understand anyway, understanding women was not one of his many talents. He settled for holding her in his arms instead, hoping that it would help.

* * *

Gaia, or Mother Nature as she was known, was sitting on her Palace in the clouds. She wore a long, black cloak and her straight black hair touched her hips. She was older than time, yet her long face was youthful. Her otherwise beautiful features were distorted by anger.

She always found really confusing this need of others to always try to label her as good or evil. She wasn't any. Her actions were not good or bad, she was there to do a job and she was doing it. Keeping balance. Life and death were not good or bad, they were just a normal part of life's cycle. As much as others tried to make it so, nothing in life was black or white, it was simply not that simple. Saving lives wasn't always the right thing to do.

She was extremely annoyed at Frost, again. Since becoming a Guardian, the winter spirit had been interfering with her work, taking it to himself to stop her storms, blizzards and even heat waves. He even had the guts to stop a tornado last summer! And now this... That little town was meant to disappear under the snow. It was time. Nature had to take back that riverbank. Until that boy intervened yet again!

She would go and talk to him... no... he was just a kid and she was too angry, she would end up hurting him. She definitely didn't want to have to deal with MiM for hurting his precious Guardian. Besides, he was useful, he had a purpose. She'd talk to North, he was almost a father for the boy. She'd demand he kept Frost under control... or else.

Mother Nature was lost in her own thoughts when she heard that voice. Even after millennia, that voice always touched a fiber inside of her, awakening a little spec of sadness always latent deep inside of her. She made the strongest face she could master as she turned around.

"Seraphina!" said the Nightmare King, his arms outstretched as if expecting her to jump into them.

"It's Gaia now" she said colder. She was trying to cut all ties with him. "What are you doing here, wasting me time?"

"Is that how you greet your own father?"

"My father was a brave, noble man who fought to stop people like you. You are not him" she said, her eyes sharp, menacing.

"You are not that different from me, you know" he said, smiling. " you terrorize humans as well, you injure and kill innocent people all the time."

"I only do what needs to be done to keep the balance. I don't decide who lives and who dies, I get my orders from the Earth itself, but I can tell you this, no one I have ever killed died out of coincidence. It was fate. Those people were meant to die that way. I have stolen nothing from anyone, I've just created the circumstances for them to fulfill their destiny. So no, I'm not at all like you, Pitch Black." she said, her brown eyes piercing his yellow ones.

"Keep telling yourself that" he said "I can't change what happened to me and I can't change who I am, I just want my little girl by my side again."

"Cut the act, Black. I am omnipresent, remember? I know perfectly well that you don't even remember being him. You don't remember me at all." said Gaia, her eyes dark with a mixture of pain and anger.

"You and I both know that he's in here, somewhere." he said, pointing at himself.

"That's the only reason why you're still breathing." she said between her teeth.

And there it was, a spec of weakness, just the opportunity Pitch was waiting for. Under normal circumstances Pitch wouldn't have dared to cross paths with Mother Nature. She was too volatile and powerful to take the risk. But last spring, the Boogeyman also had an encounter with the Algea, one where he too almost lost his life. In their eagerness to hurt him more, the triplets had made a very big mistake. Pitch smiled to himself remembering this very ironic turn of events. The Gods had transferred some of their power over to his fearlings to make them torture him even more; But when the Guardians rescued him, Pitch used these bew powers to defeat the Algea.

The Boogeyman was hoping that it would work on Seraphina as well. He knew he couldn't make her afraid, but he hoped that her weakness towards him and the fact that his own blood ran through her veins would make her more susceptible to his powers.

"I just wanted to reunite my family, but I see you're not interested. It was nice seeing you, Seraphina" he said as he turned around, smiling maliciously, a black sand scythe forming in his hands.

"I can't say..." But Gaia never got to finish that sentence.

Pitch has turned around and stabbed her with his weapon, too quickly for her to react.

"What have you done?" she whispered, her brown eyes wide in terror, as her extremities turned into black sand.


	4. Comfort

**Thanks to Alexia04, Hanna, Everlak-forever12, IceSteam, Irene Kagamine, MagicGold34, ObsidianLove, OinkyThePiggy, Prongsies, THE NIGHTS RAGE, TheAngeloflego and erconn for following, favoriting and reviewing.**

**Thanks to Alex, AnDy-93, Taeng and all the Guest. Your support is amazing.**

**Sorry about last chapter I know I was very late and I didn't even add any A/N. I was working on Cold Poison -rather trying to rescue that sinking ship!- and then I accidentally deleted all the Gaia/Pitch part and had to rewrite it, but I still wanted to publish it on that day. By the time I was done, my eyes were closing, I didn't have energy to proof read, let alone write thanks. Thank goodness that apart from a few obvious typos it seems OK.**

**BrambletheArcher sorry to make you warm and fuzzy and then take it away **

**Thanks for putting up with me ;)**

* * *

Tooth was curled up on her bed, while Baby Tooth filled her in with the day's events.

The Guardian was finding it hard to concentrate, staring blankly at the window. She was warm. A few months ago, being warm would have been a nice thing, but now it was just a reminder that Jack's arms were not wrapped around her waist. She hated being warm.

Why wasn't he here again? Oh, yes, that. Was loosing herself in his arms so terrible after all? Well, it certainly wouldn't have been _terrible_, and he would probably still be here, cuddling and kissing her, smiling his dazzling smile, filling her palace with his wonderful cold.

She put her hand on her chest, where she had this pain, this physical pain making it hard to breath. It was almost like she had been stabbed again. Was she overreacting to this whole thing? She looked 15, but she really was older than the mountains after all. Was making love to her winter boy so wrong? True, it was not the way she was raised, it was not what she dreamed of, not what expected. But she was not even human anymore, she was an immortal spirit now. And Jack did say that he wanted to be with her forever. And she knew he meant it.

She remembered his face when he stormed out of her bedroom three days ago. She had hurt him. She must have hurt him or he would have come to see her by now.

* * *

"Sandy! Thank you for coming!" said North, wrapping the Guardian of Dreams in a bear hug.

Sandy was worried. North had never randomly asked him to come to the workshop before. He made a question mark over his head.

"It's Jack" said North "he and Tooth had a fight the other day, and when the Guardian of Fun is not fun to be around, one worries, no?"

Sandy nodded.

"You and Jack are close, no? I thought maybe you could try talking to him" North continued.

Sandy couldn't help smiling. North looked like a worried father.

* * *

Jack finished his rounds and flew to Burgess. He had decided that, since he was a Guardian now, it was his duty to protect children from extreme weather conditions and to make sure that winter was just nice and pleasant. He found Mandy in the garden, tending to her veggie patch. The winter spirit knew how important gardening was for Jamie's mom, and although she never asked him to, he always made sure to keep the cold away from her tomatoes.

Mandy knew that the hellion was there before she could see him, when the familiar cold breeze touched her face. She was replanting a little tree, and she spoke without turning around to see him.

"Hi, Jack. Jamie is inside, but his building a model plane with his dad. You could play with Soph, but she's watching a Barbie movie..."

"It's OK, I actually came to see you" he said.

There was something about his voice that made her turn around. It didn't carry that usual playfulness it always did. It was thick and low. The voice of someone who had suffered alone for centuries.

"Sweetie, are you OK?" she asked, jumping up and wrapping him in a hug.

She was short and thin, yet her arms always made him feel safe, protected, loved. He buried his face in her shoulder and that stabbing pain on his chest actually felt better, the emptiness threatening to consume him slowly disappearing. It was funny, really. Technically speaking, he was her uncle. Well, great, great, great... he was he uncle. But he knew Amanda saw him more like one of her own kids and he could feel that motherly love radiating from her every time she smiled at him.

"What happened, sweetie?" she asked, in the sweetest voice in the world.

He pulled away to look at her.

"It's Tooth. Something is bothering her. She doesn't want to talk to me about it, she literally pushed me away. I don't know why she doesn't trust me." he said. It was hard to talk with that damned knot on his throat "I haven't seen her in three days"

Amanda smiled. Three days didn't seem like much, but Jack sounded as if it was three years.

"We girls sometimes get confused inside our heads. It may have nothing to do with you. Do you know what could be bothering her?"

"I think she's confused about..." Jack took a deep breath. He felt marginally more comfortable talking to Mandy. At least he knew that she wouldn't be loud like North. "I think she wants us to get more intimate, but she's not quite ready yet. I think three days ago she felt like just letting it happen and it scared her, not being in control."

He looked into Mandy's eyes, expectant. She looked like she was either trying to make sense of what he had just said, or thinking carefully the words that she was about to speak.

Mandy was surprised. Apparently the Guardians were more human than she though. She was flattered that Jack would share something like that with her.

"And how do you feel about that?" she asked, both her hands holding one of his.

"I feel like I can wait for her for millennia as long as I get to be with her while I wait. I feel like I'd do anything to make her happy, even if it means giving her space when she needs it. But mostly I am hurt that she didn't tell me what she was feeling. Did she think that I would take advantage if she told me she was confused? I want to make love to her, I do, but not when she has doubts. I want her to be certain and happy."

Jamie's mom cupped his face in her hands and kissed his forehead.

"Why don't you go and tell her that?" she said smiling.

"Now?" he asked.

"Right now. Those exact words. Throw in an 'I love you' and you'll do perfect" she said smiling again. She could barely believe what a sweet boy he was.

Jack looked at her incredulous. Was she... proud of him?

* * *

"Gaia! The boy did it again! Do you want me to..." said Gretchen as she entered the throne room at Mother Nature's Palace. But she couldn't finish that sentence. Her green eyes were wide with fear and surprise. Gaia's body was almost completely covered in black sand, no... her body was becoming black sand.

"Run!" whispered Mother Nature, her face contorted with fear.

Gretchen looked around. She had no idea what was happening but she had to help her friend somehow. She was not about to leave Gaia. And then she saw him.

"Pitch Black... what?" she said, looking straight into the yellow eyes.

* * *

**Kudos to whoever guesses who the OC is!**

**Clue: the German name is on purpose ;)**


	5. Nightmare

**"Our goal was to look at Bunny as the creator of life and to view his warren as the birthplace of spring...He is the guardian of life and hope...— Rise of the Guardians Art Director, Max Boas.**

**Umm, according to the wiki, the creators of the movie seem to think that Bunny is sort of the spirit of spring, and I'm going with that to explain his natural rivalry to both Jack and Gretchen. So no, she's not the spirit of spring because in my crazy head, Bunny is. She's not a water spirit either, but good guess. Your second clue, is that your first clue was actually your second clue ;) I sneaked in your clue in CH2. C'mon! You should know by now that nothing I write is random :D**

****

* * *

"Hachebko megovco" said the yeti entering North's living room. Bunnymund was right behind him.

"Thank you, Tim" said North. "Hello, Bunny. It is good to see you" the Russian man patted Bunny in the shoulder.

"Hi North, Sandy. Where's Snowflake? I want to have a chat with him about Tooth" said the Pooka.

"Well, for your information, she was the one who broke his heart!" said North defensively.

Bunny chuckled.

"I know that, I just went to see her. She tried to tell me what's going on and I didn't get it at all. No wonder Frostbite doesn't know how to fix this!"

"You mean you are trying to help?" asked the Guardian of Wonder, incredulous.

"Yes. Poor Toothie is really sad. I don't like to see her like that" said the pooka "is that why you're here too?" he asked Sandy.

The golden man nodded.

"Yes, I called Sandy. He and Jack are close, I thought Sandy might cheer him up. He hasn't been much fun lately, no?" said North.

"Hey, Sandy! You have seen their dreams, right?" asked Bunny.

Sandy winced. He really didn't want to think about those dreams. Specially Jack's.

"Maybe you can tell us what is bothering Toothie" said North, finishing Bunny's sentence.

Sandy thought for a moment. Then a lightbulb appeared over his head, literally.

* * *

"Oh, another freak. Just what we needed" said Pitch smiling maliciously.

"Let my friend go or you will regret it, Pitch!" said Gretchen looking murderous.

Gaia was like a sister to her and there was no way she would let this jerk hurt her. Never mind that he somehow managed to defeat Mother Nature, the most powerful spirit she knew, Gretchen was determined to stop him. The old fashion, arse kicking way.

"Gretchen, get out of here!" yelled Gaia, covered up to her neck in black sand.

"I'm not afraid of him, I can kick his ass" said Gretchen, her eyes still locked on Pitch's.

"But you will be afraid of me very soon! Get out, I don't want to hurt you!" Mother Nature was panicking as the black sand moved to her face.

"I'm not leaving you!" said her friend.

"Oh how touchy, really" Pitch said "the little freak risking her life to save her boss. Don't worry, cutie, I won't hurt you. I'll let Seraphina have the pleasure" he laughed his evil laugh.

Gretchen was possessed by anger, she threw herself toward Pitch, kicking him in the face. Pitch was propelled backwards as he fell on the floor. She ran towards Gaia.

"I'll get you out of this and you'll be fine" she said, trying to grab the black sand covering her friend to no avail.

"It's not on me, it's me!" cried Mother Nature. "Get the Guardians, MiM will know what to do!" 'I hope' she though to herself.

"No, I'm not leaving you!" Gretchen said stubbornly.

But it was too late. Gaia's face was completely made of black sand and she closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were yellow, just like Pitch's nightmare mares'.

Gretchen gasped, both hands on her mouth, as a menacing Gaia walked towards her. She turned around to find Pitch also walking forward, a big, disgusting smile on his face.

Gretchen tapped her paw on the floor and escaped through a rabbit hole that disappeared after she went in. She knew she could take Pitch, but there was no way she could defeat Gaia.

"Good girl" said Pitch "go and get the Guardians"

His evil laugh echoed on the palace's walls.

* * *

Tooth was sitting on her bed, absently looking down at her clipboard, when the cold breeze made her stomach jump. She closed her eyes and let the cold warm her inside. When she opened them, she saw him by the window. His playful blue eyes were small and dark and he was missing his glorious lopsided grin. She felt that pain in her chest again, knowing that she was the one who had made him sad.

"Jack..." she didn't mean to whisper but she found herself unable to speak.

"Tooth, I..." he said, looking at the floor.

Her wings acted on their own accord and she flew to him, stopping a couple of steps away, as if there was an invisible force holding her back. She stretched her hand out to touch him and he felt her soft, warm hand on his cheek, filling the emptiness in his chest that was about to swallow him. His blue eyes lost themselves in her amethyst ones.

"I know what's going on in here" he said, playing with the feathers on her head. "It just hurts that you don't trust me"

"Jack, it's not..."

"Did you really think that I would take advantage if you told me you were confused?" he said, looking straight into her eyes, searching. He wasn't sure of what he found. "Tooth, I want to make love to you with every fiber of my being" he said, his hand still playing with the feathers around her face.

"You're not helping your case, you know?" she giggled.

Jack smiled and cupped her face in his hands.

"But I don't want to do it if you have doubts. I want you to be happy about it. I want you to know for sure that this is where you belong. Do you remember our second kiss?"

She smiled. She did remember that kiss. It didn't have the butterflies or the passion their first kiss had yet, in so many ways, it was better. It was full of happiness of being together at last, full of knowing that they were in love and that they belonged to each other.

"I want our first time to be just like that" he continued, smiling back at her.

"I'm sorry" she said. "It wasn't you, it was me I didn't trust. I never meant to hurt you" tears menaced to fall from her eyes and she tried to look away.

Jack took one hand away from her face to play with the heart shaped pendant around her neck. The same hand slid down her arm, brushing her shoulder gently and holding her elbow. He pulled her towards him softly, slowly closing the gap between them, her warm breath on his face warming his heart.

Tooth's heart was racing in her stomach as she closed her eyes. She didn't trust herself at all, but she trusted Jack. She lost herself in his wonderful cold, that stab wound in her chest healing as he got closer.

Their mouths were just inches apart when Tooth gasped, taking both her hands to her mouth.

"Are you OK?!" he asked holding both her arms. She looked as if she had seen a ghost.

"Jack... my fairies are in danger!"

"What?!" he asked.

"Fires, earthquakes, blizzards... It's everywhere!" she said, her eyes big with fear.

"We'll split up, I'll take Baby Tooth, she'll tell me where to go!" Jack put a hand in her shoulder "we'll get them back, they'll be safe" he said, reassuringly.

Unbeknownst to them, the nightmare had already started.

* * *

**thanks for your Reviews and support. Wow! 37 reviews already. I'm feeling the pressure to make this story better than the last one, so I'm taking a bit longer to update. I hope that's OK**


	6. Gretchen

**Lol- just when I said I would take longer to update, my little man decided to take a three hr nap. He's a bit sick and it's going to come back and bite me tonight, but it doesn't matter.**

**Congrats to ObsidianLove who guessed Gretchen's identity! I'll send Jack to deliver your price in person tonight. I will warn you that he may nuzzle at your neck, it's quite an annoying side effect from Ania. I keep telling him that I'm engaged but he doesn't listen ;p**

* * *

Jack flew over the ocean, following Baby Tooth's directions. Tooth was rescuing the fairies caught on fires, for obvious reasons, while he was going after the ones caught in the storms. He flew as fast a he could, because he didn't want any of the tiny fairies to get hurt. He had grown very fond of the cute little pieces of Tooth, each of them showing him a different aspect of her personality, each of them representing one of the million things that made her special. He smiled. He wanted to get this done soon and go back into her arms again.

Tooth did look really scared, but surely she was just reflecting the little fairies' panic. There was no way that all of them were in danger. Or so he thought, until he saw the big coastal town destroyed.

"Wind! What are you doing! Stop this! Now!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

The murmur of the wind told him that it couldn't stop.

"Wind, the kids, the little fairies! Please..." the winter spirit pleaded.

The wind slowed down just a little, and the breeze caressing the Guardian's face told him it was all the wind could do.

The narrow roads were flooding with the pouring rain, the wind tearing off the roofs from the little houses, people crying in desperation, looking for their loved ones.

Jack helped whoever he could, as he frantically looked for the trapped fairies. It was really hard to follow Baby Tooth's instructions amidst the noise and the heavy rain. The story of the sisters of flight kept repeating in his head. Tooth's mom, was one of them, and when she died... they all died. That's how Tooth inherited her Palace. She was part human, part sister of flight and these little fairies where a part of her. What would happen if one of them died? What would happen if enough of them died?

The winter boy found ten little fairies trapped under a fallen roof. The wind helped him free them. They were shivering, and most of them were bleeding, but none looked seriously injured. Jack sighed in relief. He carefully placed them in his hoodie's pocket and flew away. He thought he was heading towards the Tooth Palace, where he would drop the fairies and come back to help these people, but Baby Tooth was guiding him somewhere else, following the never ending storm. What the heck was happening?

Jack took the blue sphere North had given him and the other Guardians last Spring to communicate in case of emergency.

"North" he said.

* * *

Bunny, Sandy and North were still at the North Pole, oblivious to what was going on outside. They were still talking about Jack and Tooth.

"Is that it?" asked North incredulous, looking at the image above the Sand Man's head. "But Jack sort of already..."

Bunny chuckled so much he had to put his paw in his belly.

"Sheilas! How on earth was Frostbite supposed to figure that one out?! That's why I don't have a girlfriend!" said Bunny laughing out loud.

Sandy said no with his index finger, Gretchen's face appearing over his head. Bunny didn't see it, but North did. The Guardians of Dreams and Wonder shared a glance. They both knew that the reason Bunny didn't have a girlfriend was because he hadn't realized- or didn't want to admit- that he was in love with the Groundhog.

Speaking of which...

"Let me go, you stupid hair ball!" they heard Gretchen's voice scream from another room, followed by a yeti's groan.

Bunny's laugh stopped suddenly as the girl entered the living room where the guardians were sitting, followed closely by a bleeding yeti.

She was almost as tall as Bunny, her shinny brown fur frosted with grey highlights, big green eyes framed by long eyelashes and a long, lean body, almost human in shape. Her black hands looked like gloves, adorned by long, feminine claws. Her paws were also black, giving the appearance of boots. And of course, she was a groundhog.

Bunny knew she was beautiful, though he'd never admit it. She was easy on the eye, yes but she was also outspoken and stubborn. And annoying. So annoying! And so full of herself...

"What are you doing here?" said Bunny between his teeth. He might as well had been talking to Pitch.

"None of your business, Peter Rabbit. I need to talk to MiM" said Gretchen.

Bunny laughed.

"Only we get to talk to MiM. What do you want?" asked the pooka.

Gretchen resorted to ignore him and talk to North.

"There's no time! Pitch has Gaia, he turned her into... I don't know what he turned her into but this is bad! Her eyes... her eyes are terrifying and her body is made out of black sand" Gretchen winced "she said MiM would know what to do!" her voice had a mixture of fear, sadness and desperation.

"What?!" asked Bunny.

"A fearling. Pitch turned Mother Nature into a fearling. But how?" asked North, more to himself than to anyone else, his eyes lost somewhere far, far away.

Sandy made a picture of the Algae above his head. Pitch was more powerful now.

"I want to help" said the Groundhog.

"Oh, no! This is Guardians business. You'll just get yourself in trouble and we'll bloody have to go and rescue you!" said Bunny.

"Excuse me? Let me take you back two springs ago when you tried to stop me from doing my job and I kicked your ass." she said.

Sandy smiled. North was still far away, thinking of another time, when Pitch was so strong it was rumored he turned children into fearlings. Obviously it was more than rumors.

"I only let you win because you're a sheila!" said Bunny defensively, his nose inches from hers.

"Keep telling yourself that, rabbit." she said. "Don't worry, even if I do get in trouble, I'd rather rot than being rescued by you!" she said, getting even closer to his face.

"I don't bloody care! I'm not planning to rescue you anyway!" he said, their noses were touching now.

"North" came Jack's voice from North's red sphere, bringing the elder back from his trance.

"Jack, good, I need you to come home immediately for a Guardian meeting." said North.

"Can't do. I need your help. Look!" The winter boy moved his sphere around, showing North his surroundings. "It's the end of the world out here. Some spirit is messing up with the elements, I can't make the wind stop! Tooth and I are trying to rescue the Tooth Fairies but we're going to need help."

"We're on our way!" said North, closing his sphere.

"North?" called Jack "w-what happens to Tooth if a little fairy dies?" he was almost whispering.

"We don't know, Jack" said North, his dark eyes telling the boy that his suspicions were not good.

Jack closed his sphere and went to rescue more fairies as fast as he could. He was scared, but there was no point in going to Tooth, he'll faint from the heat and put her in greater danger.

"You've heard Jack. Sandy, please find Tooth and help her. Whatever you do stay with her. We don't know what may happen. You two" he said, pointing at Bunny and Gretchen, " go together, we'll cover more ground if we separate, no?"

"Why do I have to go with him?" asked the Groundhog.

"Because if you are going to help, you two have to learn to work together, no?" said the Russian man.

* * *

Seraphina didn't look like herself anymore. She was completely made of black sand, the only dash of color coming from her big, yellow eyes. She was sitting on her throne next to Pitch, when she started laughing uncontrollably.

"Ahh, Frost!" she said as the laugh faded.

"What is it, my dear?" asked Pitch.

"Oh, father! It looks like we should go and help the Guardians solve a little mystery." she smiled devilish.

* * *

**Thanks to OinkyThePiggy, Alexia04, ObsidianLove, MagicGold34, Alex, RJguzman318, shawna, THE NIGHTS RAGE, TheAngeloflego, Guest, creatorX33, and Everlak-forever12 for your reviews!**


	7. Son of Nature

**I just gave myself butterflies with my own story. Is that weird?**

**Revenge of the Red Pen- sorry you had to read Cold Poison. It was a failed experiment. I may go back and try to re-do it when this is over. Hey! Be patient with me, this is only my second fanfic and my third story overall in my life :)**

**Thanks again for your reviews and support. You are the best!**

* * *

Sandy flew out the window and North ran to his sleigh, yelling instructions to his yetis.

Bunny and Gretchen glared at each other.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Now, you follow me" said Bunny, his paw tapping the ground.

"No way! I travel alone" she replied.

"You heard North!" he said, annoyed.

"He's not my boss and neither are you!" said the groundhog.

Bunny felt a headache coming and he massaged the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index fingers.

"You really are determined to be a pain in the bum, aren't ya?" he said, grabbing her by the arm and throwing her not so gently through the tunnel.

"Hey!" she protested "don't you ever put your dirty paws on me again or you'll loose them! Are you kidding me?! Is that a way to treat a lady?!" she continued.

As they traveled through the tunnel she protested some more. And some more. And then some more. And suddenly: silence.

When Gretchen came out of the hole, she saw the huge tornado devouring the big city. The skyscrapers were no match for the twister's power. People were trapped, screaming, praying. The heavy rain was pouring, clouding her senses. It must have been dawn, but the sky was as black as a moonless midnight, only illuminated by lightning.

"Finally you're qui..." said Bunny coming out as well.

His eyes were wide with surprise when he realized what was happening. When Jack said it was the end of the world, the pooka thought Snowflake was exaggerating. Bunny was wrong. It was exactly the end of the world.

"Lead the way, boss!" she said

"Oh, _now_ I'm the boss?!" he said.

"You're the all mighty Guardian, aren't you?"

"OK, I say... Lets help as many people as we can while we look for the fairies." said Bunny, throwing his boomerang to a car windscreen, allowing the trapped people to escape.

"Are you always this stupid? We can't waste time helping anyone, we have to get the fairies out of here ASAP! We can't risk loosing the Tooth Fairy, we'll need everyone to fight Gaia!" said Gretchen, following close behind.

"You can't expect me to do nothing about these people!" Bunny said, a bit louder than necessary.

"I thought you loved her..." said Gretchen, looking down at the pavement.

"I do love Toothie but... wait a minute!" he stopped and turned around so quickly that the Groundhog bumped into him.

He grabbed both her arms to stop her from falling backwards. Their bodies were really close, almost touching. Their faces just inches away.

"Why do you care if I love her?" his eyes were searching her, but her expression was carefully blank. There was a very long silence.

"I couldn't care less, but no one will survive unless we stop Gaia and we'll need all the help we can get. There's thousands of fairies out there and millions of people in danger and there's no way we can save them all. If we don't stop Gaia, none of these people will stand a chance." she said, looking straight back at him. They were still so close. "Can you let go of me, now?!" she said, trying to sound annoyed.

"Sure, er, you're right, we'll... get the fairies" he said, pushing her away as if she was burning his skin. He thanked the heavens that she couldn't see his blush underneath his fur "we just have to find one of them and she'll lead us to the rest."

* * *

Jack and Baby Tooth were still battling the storm through Europe. They were working tirelessly, having already rescued hundreds of fairies, using North's portals to safely drop the injured little ones at the Tooth Palace- time after time hoping to run into Tooth, but no such luck- and back to Armageddon at a different location.

He had just found a group of fairies on a roof top. They smiled and some of them swooned when they saw him. He was quite used to the reaction by now.

"C'mon little ones, your're safe now. Lets take you home." he said, carefully picking them up and putting them in his pocket.

"Jack Frost!" said Seraphina, standing behind him.

The voice startled Jack, who jumped up and turned around, his staff ready to attack.

"What are you?" he said, looking at the horrifying figure in front of him.

"You should know who I am, you've been messing with my work for months." she said.

"Frankly, I'm glad. Are you responsible for all this?" he asked.

"Of course I am. Mmmm I wonder how hot does it need to get for a winter spirit to melt?" she said, just as the tree closer to Jack caught on fire.

The Guardian attacked her with his staff to no avail, his ice melting before reaching her. He ordered the wind to take him up, but the wind didn't obey, the soft breeze just caressed his face.

"Who are you? How are you doing this?" he asked.

Everything around Jack was now on fire, the unbearable heat blurring his senses. He felt sick, sweat drops falling from his forehead. The wind caressed his face trying to cool him down to no avail. Baby Tooth was frantically hovering around him, unsure of what to do.

"You know who I am, Jack. I'm Mother Nature. Your powers are nothing compared to mine and now you'll pay for interfering with my job. But not before we answer that little question that is bothering you." she said, smiling maliciously as a strong wind flew Baby Tooth towards her.

Jack wanted to scream but his throat was dry, his eyes threatening to close.

* * *

Tooth was looking for her fairies in South America.

"Sandy? What are you doing here?" asked Tooth.

Sandy made sand images over his head.

NORTH- MOUTH- SANDY- TOOTH- GAIA+PITCH

"Pitch has... Mother Nature? Is that what's happening?"

The golden man nodded.

"And North sent you to help me?"

Sandy nodded again. She was about to protest, when she saw Jack through Baby Tooth's eyes.

"Sandy!" she whispered grabbing his arm. "We need to help Jack!" her face was ghostly pale.


	8. Where you belong

**Thank you, thank you, thank you to ObsidianLove (don't forget your mission :3), Shawna, RJguzman318, Revenge of the Red Pen, Taeng (your reviews are always awesome), Goldie, Guest, Alexia (thanks for the advice) and OikyThePiggy for your reviews and constant support. **

******Mediamaniac, girlwithface123, Amberly503, The-Lost-Gem and creatorX33 for following this story. Don't be shy, I already told you I'm an Ania for reviews ;) [if you don't know what that means, you should check out A Little Big Word, if you're enjoying this I promise you'll enjoy that one too]. In all seriousness, reviews help the story progress. I'm making it up as I go (don't ask, that's just my 'thing') and the reviews give me a feel for what you expect and what you would like to see, that's why I like them.**

* * *

Baby Tooth was flapping her wings as fast a she could, trying to escape the strong wind blowing her towards Gaia, but in spite her best efforts she kept moving towards Mother Nature. Just as she was about to give up, she heard the familiar jingles before North caught her in mid air, the force of his sleigh making Seraphina loose balance and fall.

"Jack, your hand, let's get you out of here before..." said North, but he couldn't finish that sentence.

His sleight was hit by lightning causing him to loose control. Flying upwards, away from the winter spirit was all he could do to avoid crashing over him.

"You should know better than that, North! Did you really think you could defeat me alone?" said Seraphina.

"He's not alone!" screamed Tooth as her sharp wings tore Mother Nature's side, black blood staining her feathers.

The fairy flew straight to Jack, Sandy containing a furious, injured Gaia with his golden sand whips. But the fire surrounding the hellion intensified.

"Toothie... I... love you" whispered the winter boy before giving up and closing his eyes as his unconscious body hit the ground with an audible thump.

"No you're not! No you don't! Nooorth!" she screamed, panicky.

North threw her a portal, which she caught easily in mid air.

"Get him out of here!" he shouted.

Tooth held an unconscious Jack and disappeared through the portal, with a worried Baby Tooth right behind them.

She took her winter boy to the North Pole, laying him on the snow. Baby Tooth warned her of the nine fairies safely tucked in his hoodie's pocket and she frantically took them out, before burying Jack under the snow.

"C'mon Jack! C'mon!" she said, furiously throwing snow over his inert body.

She was afraid to touch his skin, fearing the heat from her body would make it worse, so she just caressed the ends of his soft white hair. He was so beautiful and she had been so stupid for wasting three days of him. After the Algae, she should have known that even immortals shouldn't waste time.

Jack slowly opened his eyes.

"Jack?" she said, running her fingers along his face.

"Tooth..." he said, kissing her hand.

"Are you OK?" she asked looking straight into his eyes "I was so scared" she whispered.

"I'm fine" he said sitting up. He was still a little dizzy, but he knew he was on the mend, the soothing snow healing his sore skin, the cold breeze giving him strength. "I was scared too. I was afraid I would die without fixing things between us"

"Jack, there's nothing to fix. I love you" she said, holding his hand, her magenta eyes piercing his blue ones.

"I know something is bothering you, something is not quite right" he said, caressing her check with his hand.

"It's nothing. I have to go and help them." she said, looking at their hands.

Jack motioned to get up and she put her index finger on his chest, pushing him back down. "_You_ have to stay away from Gaia!" she squeaked.

"Yes, m'am!" he wasn't suicidal and that was a very close call. "Baby Tooth and I will go and get more fairies." said Jack, smiling at Baby Tooth as he got up from the ground.

"Just please be careful. If you see her open a portal and get out of there." she said, flying away form him so he couldn't see the worry in her eyes.

Jack grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him, touching their foreheads together.

"I love you too" he close the gap between them, pressing his lips hard against hers, holding her close to his body.

Their lips danced for a minute that felt like a lifetime until they broke apart.

"You know, in case we..." he started saying, but she pecked him on the lips before flying away again.

"I'll see you very soon" she said smiling, disappearing trough the portal.

Jack hated seeing her go, knowing that he was unable to help, unable to protect her, unable to stop her. He wasn't used to being powerless, to being helpless and it bothered him more than he imagined. He was always so sure of his powers, he always thought that not having them linked to the children's believe made him invincible and he never realized that he was only powerful because of Gaia's mercy, that he was linked to the elements.

The wind consoled him, caressing his face softly, murmuring words only Jack could understand. Baby Tooth put her tiny hand on his cheek. Her touch made Jack smile. He could still help, he could still keep Tooth safe.

"Are you ready?" he said. She nodded smiling. "Then let's go and help your sisters!" he smiled back as he opened a portal to yet another perfect storm.

* * *

"Over here!" said Gretchen, pointing under a car.

About twenty little fairies were curled together, seeking refuge from the debris.

"Good job, mate!" said Bunny, following her.

"It's a good thing that they're sticking together, or this would be a nightmare!" said Gretchen.

"OK little ones, we're going to need a volunteer to help us find your sisters" said Bunny, and a little uninjured fairy flew to his shoulder. Bunny caressed her head "thanks, little mate. Wow! You're as soft as Toothie!"

Gretchen looked away, but he didn't notice, he was busy putting the rest of the fairies inside his shoulder bag.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" asked Pitch maliciously. He was ridding one of his mares.

The voice made both Aster and Gretchen jump. Instinctively he stood in front of her in a protective gesture. She moved away to stand by his side.

"You!" she said between her teeth "did you come back for more, Black?"

Pitch must have heard danger in her voice because he stayed far away.

"Did you miss me already, cutie?" asked Pitch, smiling.

"Do _not_ call me cutie, you jerk! How could you do this to your own daughter?!" she started running towards him.

Gretchen jumped towards Pitch, intending to throw his sorry arse off the damned horse so she could kick it properly, but a fearling caught her in the air, taking her away.

"Gretchen!" shouted Bunny


	9. End of the world

**Thank you so much for your reviews, especially Alex and RJguzman, you two made me blush :)**

**Sorry it took so long, we have some action today! And you know how I struggle, but I think it came out OK. I threw in some fluff just for good measure ;)**

**Popcorn ready, everyone? OK** ******let's do this!**

* * *

Tooth crossed the portal still dreamy, lost in her thoughts of Jack's soft kiss, his cold embrace, getting back together with her winter boy, where she belonged. She was not prepared for what was waiting for her on the other side. It was Hell. There was fire everywhere, an endless earthquake shaking the earth beneath her feet, lightning falling left and right. Sandy and North were doing their best to attack Mother Nature, but every injury they caused only made Gaia angrier, her rage feeding the chaos.

Tooth tried flying towards North, but even her strong wings couldn't battle the impossible winds tugging at her, pulling her towards the fire. And then she realized what was happening. The children. It was hard to believe in Fairy Tales when the world was ending. Children around the globe were being forced to grow up in a matter of hours, loosing loved ones, loosing everything. Fear was winning. She had been so preoccupied rescuing her fairies, so worried about Jack, that she didn't even think about the children. She tried with all the strength she possessed to battle the raging wind, but it wasn't enough and she could already feel the sweat drops on her forehead from the heat. She screamed, but she wasn't sure the other two could hear her.

Suddenly she felt a sand whip wrapping her waist, taking her back to safety. Sandy smiled at her, but his face looked worried, as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Jack?!" she heard North screaming. He had just realized that Tooth was there.

"He's fine!" she yelled back. They were so close yet so far away, separated by chaos.

Gaia took advantage of that moment of weakness and the wind caused the fire to engulf North's sleigh. The Guardian of Wonder jumped out in the nick of time, but he was falling as his reindeers flew away, pulling the flaming sleight.

"Nooorth!" screamed the fairy flying towards the fallen Guardian, a veil of golden sand protecting her from the wind.

She caught North so close to the ground that all she could do was slow down his fall as they both plummeted into the pavement.

Sandy was so focused on helping Tooth fly against the wind that he didn't see the lightning that hit him, and he himself fell on the ground, half conscious.

North and Tooth jumped back on their feet as they saw Gaia approaching them, but they knew they didn't have a chance. North was also weakened by the loss of belief and he had lost his swords as he fell. Tooth was still unable to battle the wind. Disoriented, Sandy desperately got up to help his friends but before he had to do anything, Gaia just vanished.

The three Guardians looked at each other.

"What just happened?" asked Tooth.

"I have no idea" said North. "C'mon! We have to help the reindeers and find the rest of your fairies!"

* * *

Jack and Baby Tooth came out of the portal and just like his Fairy, the winter spirit was not prepared for what he saw on the other side.

"I thought we were covering Europe?" asked Jack, recognizing the familiar skyscrapers despite the destruction. They were in New York City.

Baby Tooth looked at him scared and signaled for him to follow.

"What's happening?" asked the winter boy confused, flying at top speed trying to catch up with Baby Tooth, her small size making it so much easier for her to avoid the obstacles.

Soon enough Jack had his answer, in the form of a very familiar voice.

"Gretchen!" yelled Bunny, battling the herd of black sand mares around him, desperately trying to catch up with the one that had taken the girl, terrified that she would get herself free and fall.

His own fear was feeding the fearlings, making them stronger. The bad news for the fearlings was that Aster's fear, unlike the Algea's was not the paralyzing type. No; it was the kind of fear that makes a skinny mon lift a two ton car to save her trapped kid. Adrenalin was rushing through his veins, making him fiercer, stronger, braver. He was battling the mares left and right as he made his way through the ruined buildings, throwing his boomerang and explosive googies everywhere, unscathed in spite the dozens of nightmares coming his way with the help of the brave little fairy who had offered to help.

"Bunny!" yelled the winter boy, flying to help his friends.

"Snowflake?! Get Gretchen!" yelled Bunny as he cut a nightmare in half.

"The Groundhog? What is she doing here?" said Jack, too low for the other Guardian to hear, as he turned around to see the fearling taking the girl. "Am on it!" he screamed and flew away.

Bunny breathed a sight of relief. Until he saw Pitch flying straight towards Frostbite.

Jack, unaware of Pitch, froze the mare holding Gretchen but just as he was about to launch himself downwards to catch her, the Nightmare King tackled him.

"Buuuuunny!" she screamed as she plummeted uncontrollably to the ground.

The pooka ran as fast as he could, his heart beating in his ears wether from exhaustion or adrenalin, he couldn't be sure. He caught her in his arms right before she hit the ground. She was frozen for a moment, trembling, her head buried in his shoulder as he held her tight with one arm and threw his googies with the other one, keeping the fearlings away from them.

After a few seconds that felt like centuries she composed herself and pulled away.

"I thought you said you wouldn't save me?" she said, kicking a fearling.

"Technically I didn't. Snowcone saved you, you just landed on me" he smiled as he ran away towards Jack and Pitch.

She heard herself giggling as she battled some more sand mares. Such an alien sound, really. Since when did she giggle?

The alien sound didn't go unnoticed.

"I didn't think you could giggle!" he yelled from the distance.

"Well, I am a girl, you idiot!" said Gretchen.

"So it seems" he laughed.

But the laughter faded away as he looked at Jack. Instinctively he turned around and threw himself over Gretchen, holding her head so she wouldn't get hurt as he pinned her to the ground.

"Hey!" she complained before the blue light from Jack's staff engulfed everything.

Gretchen almost swoon. Bunny was so darn close. His strong body was flushed against hers, her arms grabbing his strong arms. One of his hands was holding her head, his fingers buried in her hair in a gesture that felt almost intimate. She felt her heart pumping in her chest and she was sure he could feel it as well, but when she dared opened her eyes she didn't meet his gaze. His gorgeous green eyes were staring intently at Jack.

* * *

**I'd like to play a little game of name that ship! Here are the options we have so far:**

**1) Etchen from Everlak-forever**

**2) Mating Season from ObsidianLove **

**3) Sweet Spring**

**4) Grabbit**

**Vote for one or propose a new one!**


	10. Evil

**Just because I like you, the answer to your questions is coming in this chapter. **

**Thank you all for the reviews and support! **

******It seems that (almost unanimously) the ship name is 'Grabbit', which is funny, I would have put my money on ''Mating Season"**

* * *

"Bunny!" yelled the winter boy, flying to help his friend.

"Snowflake?! Get Gretchen!" yelled Bunny as he cut a nightmare in half.

"The Groundhog? What is she doing here?" said Jack, too low for the other Guardian to hear, as he turned around to see the fearling taking the girl. "Am on it!" he screamed and flew away.

Jack got close to Gretchen and froze the nightmare with his staff, but just as he went to catch her in mid air, Pitch tackled him.

"Not so fast Frost!" said Pitch, his yellow eyes looking straight at the icy blue ones, his hands on Jack's staff.

An explosion of ice from the staff threw Pitch away, and Jack flew towards Gretchen as fast a he could, but before he could reach her he was surrounded by black sand.

"Jack, Jack, Jack. Really? Mother Nature couldn't defeat me and you thought you could?!" said Pitch.

The Boogeyman had been waiting for this moment for quite some time now, revenge from the winter boy who stopped him two years ago, when he was so close to winning, so close to being believed in again.

"I'm not afraid of you!" said Jack.

"Oh, really?" said Pitch, taking a little terrified fairy out of his pocket. "How about we answer that little question of yours? What happens to the Tooth Fairy if one of her mini fairies dies?"

The Nightmare King stretched his hand out so Frost could see the little fairy being crushed between his fingers. She couldn't breath and her little face, so familiar to Jack, was turning blue.

The little magenta eyes were staring at him, wide with terror as life escaped from them. They were so similar to the eyes he loved that they stirred something in Jack, something he wasn't even sure was there. He closed his eyes.

"Let. Her. Go" he said between his teeth, and when he opened his eyes he looked straight into the yellow ones.

Pitch saw something in Jack's eyes, something that reminded him of being locked in a damp cell, chained to the wall, tortured for days on end. The Nightmare King's eyes became saucers as his hand loosened it's grip on the fairy.

"Get out of here" Jack said to Baby Tooth. He was still talking between his teeth.

Both little fairies flew away, followed by the brave fairy who had been helping Bunny.

Pitch composed himself, remembering that his fear was unreasonable, that his new powers defeated those who had harmed him. And so all his nightmares came over Jack, black sand blinding him, consuming him.

Bunny was on his way to help, when he saw Jack holding his staff with both hands, rage written all over his face, before the black sand engulfed him. And knowing Snowflake, he guessed what would happen next.

What he didn't guessed was the flash of green he saw on Jack's eyes when the blue light stopped shinning, or the look of sheer terror on Pitch's face.

Bunny smelled of a luscious forest after the rain. His strong arms made her feel safe, protected, even during the end of the world. In any case, dying in his arms wouldn't be so bad. But she realized the feeling was not mutual, because his attention was somewhere else.

"What's wrong?" asked Gretchen.

Bunny looked at her, their eyes locking for a second. Staring into her dark green eyes, the pooka became very aware of her body trembling under his, of her heart trying to escape from her chest, of how soft she was, of how good she smelled. Damned Frostbite.

"You OK?" he managed to whisper. His throat had suddenly become very dry.

"Yes" she said, batting her eyelashes.

Batting. Her. Eyelashes. Not complaining. Trembling. And so bloody close. Damned Snowflake!

"C'mon! We have to help!" he said, getting up in a swift movement and holding her hand to help her up. He didn't let go of her hand as they both ran towards the building closest to Jack.

The Groundhog would have normally complained about being dragged by her hand, arguing that she was perfectly capable of walking by herself, but her knees were so weak from their previous proximity that she was sure only his hand was preventing her from falling.

"That shouldn't have worked" whispered Pitch.

"I told you, I'm not afraid" said Jack, laughing a terrifying laugh, so different from his usual cheerful one.

Bunny and Gretchen reached the rooftop.

"Stay here" he said. There was something in his eyes she couldn't quite put her finger on, but it made her stay put.

"Jack, mate..." said Bunny, approaching the winter spirit cautiously.

The evil eyes softened as Jack turned towards Bunny and Gretchen.

"I'm sorry. I'm glad you're OK" said Jack, just before the wind stopped supporting him and he fell on the rooftop next to the pooka.

"Gaia..." whispered the hellion, his icy blue eyes filled with fear "we have to get out of here, now!" he opened a portal and signaled Bunny and Gretchen to follow him. Baby Tooth and the other two fairies crossed the portal right behind them, to the Globe room, in North's workshop.

"What the Hell was that all about?!" asked Bunny.

"I can't be around Gaia. My powers disappear around her and she likes to play with fire. Without my powers I can't escape." said Jack, talking as fast as Tooth.

"Jack... that's not..." Bunny started hesitant. He had inferred the part about Mother Nature, he wanted to know about Pitch... about the other Jack.

"Hang on" said the winter boy, taking his blue sphere out of his pocket "North"

"Jack?" spoke the Russian man through the sphere.

"Are you all OK?" asked the winter boy, his pale face a tell tale for Bunny.

"They were fighting Gaia!" whispered the pooka.

"We're all fine, Jack. Gaia just disappeared we don't know why." replied North. Jack breathed a sight of relief.

"I know why, because I scared the life out of Pitch, that's why. She most have seen him and she came to help him. He must be traumatized or something, because he got really scared when his powers didn't work on me." said Jack.

"Or something..." whispered Bunny.

"They know about the fairies. They know that something may happen to Tooth!" the winter boy continued, oblivious to Bunny's comment.

"We separated to cover more ground..." said North.

"Wait a minute, aren't you all getting weak too?" asked Bunny.

"That was you... weak?!" Gretchen heard the words come out of her mouth before she could stop them. Bunny turned around and smiled at her proudly. She rolled her eyes.

"We don't have choice, no?" said North closing his sphere.

"We have to go as well" said Jack.

"Wow Snowflake, you're not going anywhere!" said Bunny.

"You've got to be kidding me!" said Jack.

"It's too dangerous, you're staying" said the Pooka. He wasn't sure whether it was too dangerous for Jack or for everyone else, but it was definitely dangerous.

Bunny turned around to look a Gretchen. He was trying to decide wether leaving her with Jack was riskier than bringing her along. He finally decided that she was safer where he could see her.

"Let's go Gretchen" he stretched his hand out for her to take it, craving to touch her soft fur again. She rolled her eyes and went to stand by his side, not taking his hand.

Gretchen had always hated Bunny for the same reason: she fell in love with him at first sight, centuries ago. She came out of her whole, saw her shadow and proclaimed that spring should be delayed that year. And along he came, so tall and sexy, his smoldering eyes looking straight at hers. But Bunny had never returned that love. He hated her for who she was, hated her for the job she did. And she hated him in return, for not wanting her. And she hated him even more now, because they had gotten so close, because she could still feel the warmth of his skin next to hers, because she wanted to stay in his arms and never let go, because their encounter had obviously meant nothing to him.

"Tooth is in danger and I'm not about to sit here and do nothing!" said Jack. He was dangerously angry now.

"Wow, handsome, calm down!" said the Groundhog walking towards Jack. Bunny grabbed her wrist but she pulled away, looking menacingly at the pooka. "Whatever it was you did to Pitch, we need more of that. But we can't risk loosing you to Gaia. She's everywhere. All the time. We can't have you in the line of fire, handsome. You're better staying. You'll be more useful to everyone if you stay safe."

"But... OK" said Jack, to Bunny's surprise.

Gretchen kissed the winter boy's cheek, painting his cheeks blue.

"Let's go, Sheila!" said Bunny, angrily. "He has a girlfriend, you know?" he said, as they crossed the portal.

Jack smiled. He should have known that Bunny hated the Groundhog because he was secretly in love with her.

* * *

**Just in case, before you ask, Tooth never saw Gaia through her fairies because the fairies never got to see Gaia, neither were they afraid of Gaia at any point. Only strong emotions trigger the connection. Tooth prob saw the fairy being strangled but not much else**


	11. Love

**Long chapter, so short A/N. I'm a bit sad today because I didn't get my dream job :(**

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed, you brightened my day a bit. Hope you enjoy this one. Just fluff today. has anyone noticed that the chapters have names now?**

**To make sure it's not confusing "this is what they really say" '_this is what they really wanted to say'_**

* * *

Jack had every intention of staying in the workshop. He understood what Gretchen meant. Her and Bunny didn't really need his help and it was risky for him to be outside, unnecessary risky. He had rescued so many fairies he didn't think there were too many left anyway.

And then he remembered what Bunny said about the other Guardians getting weaker. There was only one explanation: the children. Of course children would stop believing. He thought of the destruction outside, of the people screaming with grief and terror. How could the children believe in the Guardians amidst the tragedy?

And just then, a dreadful thought crossed his mind. He had been so worried about Tooth that he didn't even think...

Jack felt a surge of panic rushing through his body. If something had happened to them... he pictured Jamie's face calling his name in the storm, wondering why uncle Jack didn't come to his rescue. It made him feel sick.

Without even thinking it, the winter spirit opened a portal to Burgess, where Jamie's house should have been. His eyes welled with worry and regret, because where the familiar window stood, there was only debris, as if a tornado had just taken the whole house off the ground.

"Jamie! Sophie!" he yelled, but it was useless, there was no one around.

He looked around what was left of the town, his heart beating in his throat. He had seen survivors- thinking of that word made him want to throw up- he had seen survivors from other towns gathering somewhere safe, a stadium, a convention centre, a church. He just had to find them. His family would be there, they just had to be there. They had to.

He found the place, an old theater outside the town, unscathed by the tornado. Jack was terrified as went inside, afraid of not finding the familiar faces he was looking for.

He searched every face in the room, untroubled by people walking through him, until he found Mr and Mrs Bennett cuddled up on an old mattress, with a sleeping Sophie in Amanda's arms. His chest ached. Jamie... where was Jamie?

Before he could get too panicky, he heard Jamie's laugh across the hall. He was fine, and so were his friends. Jack ran toward the kids who immediately wrapped him in a group hug.

"Uncle Jack! I knew you'd come!" said Jamie, his arms tight around Jack's waist.

Jack felt guilty. How did he allow himself to forget about the Bennetts?

And then he realised that it was probably for the best, that he would have only put them in danger, that he was probably putting them in danger right now. What would he do if Gaia showed up? Would he run away and leave them to die? Would he stay and die with them? What difference would it make?

"I just wanted to make sure everyone was OK. I have to…" said Jack before he felt the little hand in his shoulder.

Mandy's eyes were clouded with tears as he wrapped her arms around him. He buried his head in her shoulder. It was official, Amanda Bennet's arms could make him feel safe even when the world was ending.

"I'm so sorry" he said.

"I was so worried, Jack! When you didn't come I imagined the worse" she sobbed "Don't be sorry, I know you were trying to stop this madness."

"I can't be around, I may be putting you all in danger. I just needed to know that you were OK." he said, but he didn't pull away from the embrace.

"What's happening?" she asked.

"The Boogeyman turned Mother Nature into a monster. She's the one doing all this. I can't stay, I may attract her here. She takes away all my powers…"

"Jack, you know that controlling the weather is not your real power" she said smiling. "Your real power is in here" she said putting her hand on his chest. She always knew what to say to make him feel better.

"Thanks" said Jack.

It started snowing inside the old theater but nobody seemed to care. Everyone was happy, celebrating that they were together, that they were alive, as the tiny blue snowflakes nipped everyone's noses. Amanda looked at Jack and smiled.

"Look, it's Jack Frost!" said a little kid.

"I see him, I see him!" said his sister.

"The Tooth Fairy, Santa, The Easter Bunny, The Sandman, Jack Frost! All real! They're trying to help us but they need us to believe in them!" said Jaime, his voice traveling around the room.

Jack smiled as he waved bye-bye. He was both proud and grateful. The Guardians now had an oasis of believers.

* * *

Gretchen had been dead quiet since they left the workshop, and so had Bunny. He was hurt when she refused to take his hand and he certainly didn't like the whole scene with Snowflake. Maybe he had misread her after all. Maybe he just caught her by surprise when he tackled her, maybe she was still shaken from the fall, maybe the whole thing was too much for her and she was just scared. Maybe being so close to him meant nothing to her after all.

He was lost in his thoughts putting the little injured fairies in his back. Thinking about something else helped. It put some space between him and the chaos surrounding him. If he was distracted, he didn't have to listen to the people screaming, he didn't have to see the towns destroyed.

Somehow, the silly thoughts in his head found their way to his lips.

"How come he gets to be handsome and I get to be Peter Rabbit?"

"Uh?" she asked, rubbing her forehead with her hand. She could barely believe he was such an idiot.

"Because he _is_ handsome and you _are_ a rabbit" she said coldly. If this was his idea of breaking the ice, it was a very stupid one.

"Hum" he said, his face sunken. "about earlier..."

"I should thank you for saving my life, right?" she said, her eyes fixed on the ground as they crossed the portal to the next location.

"No, no! You don't have to" he said, a bit louder than he intended. '_I had to save you, I can't live without you' _he really wanted to say.

"But I want to thank you. You risked yourself for me." she didn't know why, but that hurt. Maybe because she wished he hadn't saved her just because he was a Guardian. Maybe because she wished he had saved her because he couldn't live without her.

"T'was nothing" he said, throwing an explosive googie to break the wall of debris in front of them. _'I was so scared'_

"I just wanted to apologize, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, you know, when I tackled you" Bunny continued_ 'I was just trying to protect you'_

She took that as a confirmation that it had meant nothing to him, and she hid her face while she passed him some more injured little fairies.

"It's OK, you didn't make me uncomfortable" she said. '_I never wanted it to end'_

"I don't want you to think that I'm the kind of guy who would take advantage on a situation like that" Bunny was rambling now.

Gretchen laughed.

"I think you're exactly that kind of guy" she said grinning. "You just hate me" her voice was low now and she was looking away.

He turned around to look at her and put his hand in her shoulder. She was so soft, even softer than Tooth.

"Gretchen... I... I don't hate you" he said, staring into her eyes "I mean, you are a pain in the neck, but I... I kinda like you" he smiled.

"You are a pain in the neck too!" she smiled back.

He opened another portal.

"So you _were_ taking advantage?" she asked, bumping his shoulder with hers as they crossed to the next town.

"Maybe just a little" he winked.

The little fairy guiding them was sure that she preferred the uncomfortable silence to this weird flirting. '_Why don't they just tell each other what they feel?_' she wondered as she crossed the portal behind them.

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**Who would be the 100th reviewer? : D  
**


	12. The Other Jack

**Thank you to AnDy-93, ObsidianLove, ShawnaCrazyGirl, Revenge of the Red Pen, Spyro395, RJguzman318, OunkyThePiggy, creatorX33, Guest, Alex, Goldie ;), Taeng (100th review!), Alexia04, TheAngeloflego for your reviews and constant support. You really brighten my day.**

**OK, we've done action and fluff, what are we missing? A bit of angst.**

* * *

North, Sandy and Tooth were already at the workshop when Jack crossed the portal. He had little time to take in what happened next.

Tooth literally threw herself at him, wrapping her legs around his waist and her hands around his neck in a tight embrace. He pressed his lips hard against hers, kissing her with everything he had, oblivious to Sandy and North, too aware that this may very well be their last kiss. He didn't notice Bunny and Gretchen crossing another portal next to them.

Bunny felt his blood boiling. He looked at Tooth, her movements innocent, imprecise, giving away the fact that she was still inexperienced and naive. He looked at Jack, boasting with confidence, his hands snaking around her body like a pro, his mouth devouring Tooth's like a hunter to his prey. Bunny never really had a problem with them being intimate before. He expected Snowflake to be innocent as well, maybe even more so than Toothie was, not having ever touched anyone for 300 years. He didn't have a problem with the kids experimenting because he didn't think that Frostbite would take advantage of Tooth's sweet nature, he expected things to be mutual, innocent. But that _thing_ was not Jack.

He wanted to push Frostbite away from her. Was this really why she was afraid? Did he have an episode with her? Did he hurt her? Did he force her to do things she wasn't ready for?

Gretchen saw Bunny's troubled face and took it for pain. She imagined him being in love with the fairy for centuries, bringing her flowers every week, expecting her to return his affection and then this kid comes along and steals her heart. She thought he was hurting because Tooth's heart belonged to Jack, just as she was hurting because Bunny's heart belonged to Tooth.

The moment Jack's tongue touched Tooth's Bunny completely lost it. He hopped towards the two lovers, breaking them apart and pinning the winter spirit to the wall.

"Get your hands away..." Aster couldn't finish that sentence.

Tooth's face was crimson with rage as she punched the pooka's jaw, throwing him off balance. Bunny landed on the floor, spitting blood.

"Wow! You are stronger than you look" said Gretchen smiling at Tooth.

"What on Earth was that all about?!" growled the fairy. She was more dangerous at that point than evil Jack would ever be.

"Him" said the pooka, touching the spot Tooth had hit "he's not totally himself and you know it. That's why you're scared. I saw him turning into... the other Jack."

Tooth gasped. Jack's sharp eyes were staring at Bunny, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"No..." said North, his eyes wide open.

The pooka looked at the Russian man, as if apologizing for what he was saying. The Guardian of Wonder closed his eyes as Bunny continued talking.

"I saw the green in his eyes, and Pitch's powers didn't work on him and... wait a minute... You knew about this, didn't you?!" he said, reading North's face. "You've bloody known about this all along and you've been putting everyone at risk! Tooth! You've let Toothie be alone with him! How could you?! His only purpose was to kill her and you left him alone with her!"

"Bunny, it is not like that, I just figured out when he said Pitch was afraid. He had acted a little strange sometimes and I worry, no? I've watched, testing him, but no episodes, no green eyes. Whenever he lost control he snapped out of it. I thought he was OK. I thought he was just getting used to not living alone. I would never risk Toothie like that."

"That's why you're so...sexy" whispered Tooth.

"I think I speak for all the girls in the world when I say we all wish we had your problem." said Gretchen looking at the fairy who seemed frozen with her mouth open.

"So what the in bloody Hell do we do now?!" asked the pooka " if he flips, if he gets the Algae, given the state of things..."

"I know. I think we should just leave him behind. It's too dangerous for him to come because of Gaia anyway. We'll find a way to fix him when this is over." said North.

"I'm standing right here!" snarled Jack. He didn't like being ignored and he certainly didn't appreciate being treated like a menace. Truth be told, if he really was possessed Bunny would be dead by now.

"Too risky mate. We have to lock him up. If Pitch or Gaia show up and they provoke Frostbite..."

"Wow! No one is locking me up, Cottontail!" said the winter boy, gripping his staff tightly.

"We're not locking Jack up! If something happened he won't be able to escape!" said the Russian man.

"If something happened he wouldn't be able to escape anyway!" said Bunny. "Look, don't think that I don't care about him, I do. Because of that it is best that we keep him locked where he can't hurt himself or anyone else. If he hurts Tooth, if he frees the Algae, he'll never forgive himself."

"I'm out of here!" said Jack, flying towards the window.

"Jack!" yelled North but the hellion ignored him.

"Jack!" Tooth screamed, so loud that her winter boy turned around to look at her. "Wait for me. I'm coming with you."

"Are you nuts?!" asked Bunny but Tooth ignored him as she flew towards Jack, and held his hand.

"I trust you" she whispered in his ear. She knew that she had brought him back before and she could always do it again. She trusted that if they were together everything would be fine, and she dreaded the thought of her winter hellion all alone and upset out there, at Gaia's mercy.

Jack felt so much love and gratitude for his girl. There he was, thinking she didn't trust him when she was literally trusting him with her life. He couldn't help but smile at her.

Golden sand covered the windows so Jack and Tooth couldn't leave, but Sandy wasn't frowning at the two lovers, his anger was directed at North and Bunny. How could they treat Jack like that, making him feel unwanted after all that he had been through?

Gretchen rubbed her forehead. She felt a bad headache coming. So these were the almighty Guardians? Peter Rabbit was overreacting, Jolly Rogers was worried about his 300 year old baby and Little Miss Sunshine was preoccupied with her boyfriend being too sexy. The world was _screwed_. At least Goldie seemed to have his act together.

"You're not possessed, are you handsome?" asked Gretchen, getting closer to Jack.

"Gretchen, don't!" said Bunny, a little louder than necessary.

If looks could kill he would be six feet under, the way the Groundhog glared at him.

"Bunnymund drop it! If he was really evil your ass would be frozen by now!" she said and Jack's chuckle confirmed it.

It was the first time she had used his name, well the second time if he counted earlier when she was falling to her death and called him Bunny. Somehow it didn't sound as sweet as he expected.

"I was there too, remember?! I know what you mean, I saw it. I saw the evil eyes staring at Pitch as if handsome was going to finish him right there. And he probably would have had you not interrupted. I also saw his eyes turning blue the moment he saw us, I saw his creepy face turning to concern over my safety. Whatever this is he controls it, it doesn't control him." said Gretchen with a decisive expression in her face.

"You were not there last spring. You don't know what he's capable off if he looses control." said Bunny.


	13. Man in the Moon

******122 reviews! This is insane! I just love you all so much! Thank you! To many exclamations! Too excited!**

* * *

North looked at Gretchen, his face contorted as if he was solving a very complicated puzzle.

The Algae, the Greek Gods of pain and sorrow attacked the Guardians last spring, with Ania, one of the sisters falling for Jack and poisoning him, turning the winter spirit into one of them. Evil Jack was in love with the Goddess and he helped the Algae defeat the Guardians. He stabbed North with an icicle and almost killed Tooth in cold blood.

According to North's book of legends: 'Gods of chaos, war and destruction can posses souls and render them evil at will, making the victim soul mirror the God's desires, slave to their bindings... Only an incorruptible, pure soul can return from this fate...Solely by the mercy of a mythical creature, of purity and kindness equal to the God's power.'

And so the hellion was brought back by the Tooth Fairy's love and compassion, for she forgave him for taking her life before he did. The Algae ended up trapped by their own fears, under Pitch's broken bed on Jack's lake.

But perhaps his new son's soul was not as incorruptible as North thought. He was the Guardian of Fun, he held the record on naughty list, after all.

"I don't care what he's capable of! You haven't seen what I'm capable of! Whatever handsome did to Pitch, we need more of that! Gaia is not the enemy, Pitch is! We're suppose to be rescuing my friend, remember?" Gretchen was getting a bit edgy.

Why were the Guardians such a bunch of sissies? She had seen handsome's powers, but c'mon! Five against one! She bet Bunny alone could give Frosty a good run for his money. After the way he battled all those fearlings to get to her... Crap! She was a freaking fan girl now. What the Hell was wrong with her?

"Jack, can you tell when you...?" asked North.

"No." said the winter boy. He was beginning to think that maybe Bunny was right "I do know that, sometimes... why didn't you tell me that you suspected this?!"

"Why didn't you tell me that you suspected this?" asked North in reply.

"I never... suspected it. I just sometimes feel a bit different. Like when I'm with Tooth..." he looked at Bunny, admitting that the pooka was somewhat right "sometimes I'm not... quite myself, but I can control it, I'm always... here, I- I don't know how to explain it. I didn't suspect it because it wasn't like before when I was completely gone. I'm still here. I'm always still here. Even earlier, with Pitch." Jack knew he was rambling but he didn't have a better way to explain what was happening.

"That is good news." smiled his father figure, patting Jack's back, relief written all over his face. "I never told you because I never really had any reason to. I thought I was paranoid. I though you were just getting used to living here, no? I thought it was good thing that you were not afraid to speak your mind. And I know I did push you a little just to be sure. " he said, squeezing Jack's shoulder before walking towards the control panel.

"You've got to be kidding me" said Bunny, more to himself than to anyone else, realizing that he had lost North's support.

He was not afraid of Frostbite as such, he knew that they could easily defeat him. He was afraid of having yet another enemy to battle, a powerful enemy who knew all of their weaknesses, one they'd be hesitant to attack. He was afraid that, knowing they were up to him, he would sneak out and release the Algae, because under the circumstances, the triplets would be unstoppable. And most of all, he worried about Tooth's safety. If Snowflake just snapped suddenly... caught her off guard... And damn it, he really didn't want to have to hurt Frosty!

Gretchen couldn't control the impulse of comforting Bunny and her soft hand wrapped around his arm. She had learned that he was just rough around the edges but his heart was on the right place. He just wanted to keep everyone safe, to protect the ones he cared... about. Was that about her?! When she moved closer to Jack... was that fear?

"It'll be OK" she whispered in his ear, but before the pooka could turn around and face her she let go and went to stand next to North, pretending to be very interested in what he was doing. She didn't want Bunny to see her flustered face, just in case she was completely wrong about this one.

"We'll ask Manny what he thinks, maybe it is a risk we can take. If there is ever a time to take risks, this is it!" said North, turning the lever to open a round hatch above their heads, letting the moonlight into the workshop.

Before he could ask any questions, Manny's light casted the shadow of Mother Nature on the workshop floor.

"Is that the answer, Manny? We have to bring back Gaia?" asked Tooth.

"How do we do it?" asked Gretchen. All the Guardians looked at her surprised, but MiM didn't seem to mind her asking because he answered the question.

The image of Gaia was replaced by one of Sandy surrounded by his sand.

"Dream sand? Is that all we need?" asked Bunny.

Jack's image appeared on the floor.

"Do you think I should stay behind?" asked the winter boy, sunken. But the image of Sandy appeared next to his.

Jack and Sandy looked at each other and smiled. They understood what MiM wanted them to do. The others were utterly confused.

"Is it risky for me to go? What should we do?" asked Jack and as soon as he asked, the moonlight casted Tooth's shadow.

"It seems like it will be OK if you stay close to Tooth." said North.

Jack smiled, looking down at his and Tooth's intertwined fingers. He gave said wonderfully warm fingers a little squeeze. That wasn't going to be a problem at all.

"Thank you Manny" said the Guardian of Wonder.

The moonlight lingered on the two lovers before it retreated back into space.

"You two obviously understood more than we did, no? Would you care to explain?" asked North, looking from Jack to Sandy.

"We discovered last spring that my powers affect the dream sand." started Jack.

"Well, that's not too great, given that Gaia takes away your powers. What does snow has to do with dreams anyway?" asked Bunny.

Jack grinned.

"Not that power. My real power" he winked at North. "The power of fun.

I makes the dream sand even more powerful. We get together once in a while, and we turn all the sweet dreams into fun dreams. They're very powerful."

Sandy and Jack high- fived.

"And because you and Pitch share the same power now..." said North.

"Exactly!" said Jack with a toothy smile. "Just keep Gaia from melting me and we'll be fine."

* * *

**Sounds easy enough, right? *insert evil laugh***

**Next chapter we'll see what Sera and her daddy are up to...**


	14. Bonding

**Sorry, sorry, sorry! I know I've been away for too many days - well, not really, I just have you spoiled :P- I was reading the Guardians books - not that they told me anything different to the wiki- to get some more info for... Yeah, like I'm telling you right now. Trust me, I was working on this thing. Once again, thank you so much for your reviews, this is amazing.**

******This one is dedicated to ObsidianLove, who just loves Pitch.**

* * *

Pitch Black was standing next to Seraphina's bed his hands crossed on his back in a characteristic gesture. He kept his distance, as if an invisible shield was preventing him from getting close to her. He didn't know how long he had been standing there, looking at the strange creature sleeping in front of him. Even the nightmare sand hadn't completely taken away her beauty, her defined, gorgeous features still visible in the darkness. He could see the resemblance: her long chin, not unlike his. Her nose, albeit smaller, with the same wide bridge, the same pointy tip. Before her transformation, he could have swore that a brown version of his own yellow orbs was glaring at him.

She was gravely injured by that damned fairy, black blood still gushing out from his daughter's side, staining her bandages. His daughter... A small part of him wished he could remember her, remember what it was like not being alone. He didn't, of course, remember her. He didn't remember anything about who he was, except for the rumors he had gathered during the years. Kosmotis Pitchiner, what a stupid name, if he may add.

He apparently had led the Golden Armies in capturing the fearlings, and then, stupidly enough, volunteered to guard their prison. Pitch wondered how much he had really loved his daughter before, giving that he willingly decided to stay far away from her. He didn't know much about love, really, but he had seen human parents protecting their children, even giving their own lives for them, trying to keep their offsprings by their side. He had seen couples in love, suffering every time they were forced to be apart, fearing - he particularly loved this part- that their loved ones would leave them. So this Kosmotis person didn't really seem like a good parent to him, even though Seraphina seemed to have him sitting on a golden throne.

Did he write letters to the girl? Wonderful letters lying about how important she was to him, while in reality, winning his war was more important? Did he lie and cheat his own daughter? Maybe him and Pitchiner were not so different after all. Pitch didn't know why, but the thought made him smile.

He could not stop staring at the young woman in front of him. In spite of her injuries, she had come to his aid when she felt he needed her. No one had ever come to his aid before. No one had ever cared for him before. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but it was good not being alone anymore. It was good having Sera around, someone to make plans with, to celebrate his victories, someone to help him when the tables turned on him. He could get used to this. Maybe he could always be by her side. Maybe he could be a better father to her than Kosmotis ever was.

The young woman stirred, her eyelids fluttering until she finally opened them.

"Father?" she asked, her terrifying eyes full of love for him.

"Yes, Seraphina" he replied.

"Have you been here the whole time?" she asked again, incredulous.

"Of course" he said smiling. Even he wasn't sure wether the smile was genuine or not.

"I am so sorry I have failed you, father" said Seraphina, looking away.

"You have not failed me. You single handled almost killed four of them. I was the one who failed to kill the rabbit and your little friend. Had I not... let Frost get to me, you would've gotten rid of the others." said Pitch.

"I did not know that the boy was still under the Algae's influence." she said thoughtful. " I suppose melting him will have to first priority now. We do not want him to release them from their prison. I do not want then to hurt you again."

"They won't." he said, matter of factly. Did he believed that himself, or was he just trying to ease her fears?

"But I did discover something interesting. I think we can use your insolent friend. You should have seen that pooka's face, you should have felt his fear... I bet he loves her. You have to admit its kind of romantic, two freaks in love!"

"I wouldn't try to do that if I were you. Don't underestimate Gretchen. She is more powerful than she herself knows. And she is very stubborn. She would not rest until she brings me back. She'll find a way." argued his daughter.

"She didn't seem so powerful yesterday. She seemed like a scared, helpless little girl." he disagreed.

"Well, her kind doesn't care much for heights..."

"Her kind?" he interjected. It just crossed his mind that he had never seen another spirit like Gretchen. " I always assumed she was your creation."

"I didn't create Gretchen, I merely offered her a home after her mother passed. Oooh, you are going to love this story!" she laughed. Usually her laugh was like a canary's song. But not this laugh. This one was stained with evil.

"When I first knew about her mother's pregnancy, I was curious. Such a rare occurrence, really. Spirits rarely have children, especially inter species. I wanted to see what this child would become, what powers she would have. I can't deny I was a little disappointed when she came out looking just like her father. I was hopeful, though. Maybe her people still had a chance. Being a Forest Fairy, and still mourning her partner's death, her mother decided to use her magic to change her appearance in order to hide her, to protect her. She tried at first to make her look like herself, a beautiful fairy with butterfly wings. She thought she could raise her as one of her colony and that Gretchen would never need to know the horrors of her heritage.

But Forest Fairies are not that powerful and her magic was just enough to modify her appearance, to turn her into another forest animal. She only ever told the girl that her father was a brave warrior and that he died defending his people. But she never told her what her dad really was. Knowing Gretchen, the less she knew, the safer she would be... from you"

Pitch's eyes were wide with understanding and the corners of his mouth curved into a malevolent smile.

"No..." he said, still smiling like a child on Christmas morning.

"Yes" Seraphina smiled back, knowing that her father was indeed enjoying the story.

"As she grew up, she also showed her real powers, her mother's magic, her father's abilities. When her mother died of old age I could not resist the opportunity to offer her a job. She was only 159 years old, only a teenager."

"So, what do you suggest we do with her?" asked her father. He really just couldn't wipe the smile out of his face.

"Kill her" she said with determination.

"And the rabbit's wrath?" he asked again.

"Just leave that to me. Besides, he's not the smartest when he's angry." she replied.

* * *

**Was that too obvious?**


	15. Friendship

**Thank you all for your reviews. You rock XD**

**We'll have some action again next chapter. And some serious fluff ;)**

**This one is dedicated to Hanna, who pretty much demanded it :)**

**Oh, and nobody panic. Gretchen's dad is really dead. We'll find out more really soon.**

* * *

Gretchen and the Guardians were sitting around the big table where Guardian meetings were held. The big Five were strategizing. They understood very well that, while Sandy and Jack's combined powers could bring Gaia back, it wasn't going to be easy for any of them to get close to her, let alone the winter spirit.

On a different day, the Groundhog would have had an opinion -or two- about their plan. But today she just wasn't in the mood of pretending that she knew how to fight Gaia or Pitch. She was a spring spirit, a wood fairy- albeit a very lousy one- and a personal assistant. Her only battles had ever been with the idiot sitting next to her, and they were never to death, just bruised egos.

Everything was so normal last night. She came back from her rounds, making sure flowers were ready to blossom for spring. She heard about handsome's new trick, but that was nothing out of the ordinary. She decided to save the kid's gorgeous bum and offer to kick it on Gaia's behalf. Better her than Mother Nature, that was for sure. Gretchen knew very well how volatile her friend could be, how much power she had and how easily the situation could get out of hands. But just as she was coming home... her world turned to mush.

Not only did she start the day with a near death experience, she was also having these stupid, confusing feelings for the idiot sitting to her left. She freaking didn't have the time or the energy to be thinking about stuff like that right now. Why on Earth did he have to sit next to her? And why so freaking close?! The freaking table was freaking gigantic! There was room for twenty people and there was only six of them. Did he know he was making every single hair on the left side of her body stand on end?

But even that wasn't the worst thing that had happened to her. Pitch had taken Gaia. Her only family. The only person for whom she wasn't a freak, an outsider. Her home, the only place where she really belonged.

* * *

A young Gretchen was sitting under a maple tree, crying desperate in front of her mother's grave. Months had passed since the fairy had left the Earth, and without her love, her daughter felt like an outsider. She was so different to the rest of the colony. She couldn't do magic. She couldn't fly. All she wanted was to look like everyone else, to be like everyone else, to fit in.

"Why are you crying child?"

The voice was utterly sweet, but it startled the young girl, who stood up and turned around, ready to attack. She recognized the woman standing in front of her, but her expression didn't soften.

"I'm not a child. I'm 159 and you know very well why I'm crying!" replied Gretchen.

The teen was only provoking Gaia because she could not contain her anger at the world. And maybe, just maybe she wanted the pain to stop forever. She had no reason to be angry at Moter Nature, really. Her mother had died of old age, Forrest Fairies were not immortal, only long-lived. But to add to her misery, at the rate she was growing, Gretchen would probably live forever. 'Great' she always thought sarcastically.

"I know, indeed. I'm really sorry." said Gaia softly.

Gretchen was surprised at the woman's kindness.

"You are?" she asked, incredulous.

"Yes, Gretchen. I'm everywhere, remember? I know what you're going through. I also know that you are very special, not a freak like you think. You are unique, Gretchen, almost a miracle. And you have more magic in you than you know. It's only that it doesn't work in the same way as the fairies'."

"Do you know who my father was? Maybe I'm more like him, maybe I could find his people and live with them..."

"Gretchen... they're gone. Your father died trying to save his people but they never stood a chance. I'm sorry." Mother Nature interjected. "I do, however have another alternative for you. I'd like it very much if you came to live with me, at my Palace, as my apprentice. I can help you learn how to use your magic. I may or may not have a job for you, for when you're older..."

"You'll take me away from this Hell?!" the teen asked. She could barely believe what Gaia was offering her.

"Yes, I guess. Hell is quite a big word..." the woman replied, smiling kindly.

* * *

"C'mon, just try. For me?" said Gaia with her best puppy eyes. She was normally so serious, but she could always be silly around Gretchen.

"I really can't. I've been trying for like a century. Even when I do make these things grow, they just explode all over the place!" replied the young girl.

"But you haven't tried my way... C'mon, just hold it in your hands" said Mother Nature, forcing the seed on the girl's palms and closing her fingers into fits. "Close your eyes. Can you feel the life inside the seed? Can you feel it's soul?"

"Yes" whispered Gretchen, a big smile on her face.

"Let your soul be one with it. Will it to grow." continued the woman, smiling back.

"I can't just _will_ it to grow!" snarled the teen.

"Yes you can. If you become one with that seed, and you will it to grow, it will grow. Just like when you will to move your arms or your legs" said Gaia patiently. She didn't know why, but she could always be patient around Gretchen. She had never lost her temper with the girl.

"OK, OK, I'll try. You better duck, just in case." said the Groundhog before closing her eyes.

After a few seconds, a little sprout appeared.

"Gretchen... you may want to open your eyes..." said Gaia, smiling proudly.

"Oh my Goodness! I did it! I did it! I am a freaking fairy after all! In your face, Daisy!" Gretchen was jumping joyful.

* * *

A grown up Gretchen stormed into the throne room, where Gaia was looking out the window.

"He's a freaking idiot!" she yelled.

"I never said this job would be easy." said Gaia.

"Well, it was easy until stupid Peter Rabbit showed up!" said the Groundhog.

"But you like him" added Mother Nature matter of factly.

"Of course I don't!" said Gretchen, grateful that her fur covered her blushed cheeks.

"I'm everywhere, remember? You almost drooled when you saw him" laughed her friend.

"That was until he annoyed the life out me!" yelled Gretchen defensively.

"Whatever you say. Gretchen and Bunny sitting in a tree..." sang the eldest woman.

"Very funny" interjected Gretchen. "I could sing the same to you! How was your date?"

"Oh, don't get me started! No wonder humans depict the guy as a baby with a nappy."

* * *

"He hates me..." said Gretchen sunken.

Gaia hugged her best friend.

"He really is an idiot. Who could possibly hate you?!" she said.

"You've seen him, you know he does hate me. It's not my fault that spring is not supposed to come yet..." the Groundhog was holding back tears.

"He doesn't necessarily hate you. I can see his actions but not his thoughts or feelings. Hey, look at me. There are other fish in the sea, you know? There is that particular centaur who always comes asking for you..."

"Odissys? He came back?" interjected Gretchen, the light returning to her face.

"He wants you to meet him at seven. He said you know where..." Gaia's smile was a little malicious now.

Gretchen smiled. True, the centaur was not Bunny, but he made her laugh and he was very attractive with his bare chest and his tanned skin and his soft chocolate hair and those eyes, black as the night. Not to mention he was a great kisser.

"C'mon! Let's get you ready for your date. I want to hear all about it when you come back." Gaia squeaked like a teenager.

"You don't need to hear it, I know you'll be there." said Gretchen laughing.

"No way! It's more exciting if you tell me" said her friend, winking.

* * *

Present Gretchen felt a hand on her knee. Was he kidding her? Did he know that his hand was sending electric charges all over her body? _All_ over!

"Are you OK?" he whispered in her ear. Goosebumps appeared on her nape the moment his warm breath touched her skin.

"Hum?" she asked confused. She had been lost in her own thoughts.

"Well, you're quiet. You being quiet has to be a sign of the end of the world, sheila" Bunny whispered again. The butterflies in her stomach were doing sumersaults.

"Bunny, it is the end of the world!" she whispered back.

There it was. His name again. The pooka couldn't help but smiling. He definitely was doing something right.

"Ouch! What was that for!" he complaint, after she slapped the hand that was still on her knee.

His cry alerted the other Guardians, who looked their way, curious.

Tooth was sitting on Jack's lap, his hands around her waist. It was a bit bold but no one seemed to care, not even the pooka. The world was ending anyway. They looked at Bunny and Gretchen and then at each other, smiling mischievously.

North looked at Bunny curious and confused, while Sandy smiled widely and clapped.


	16. Just Hold Me

**Revenge of the Red Pen, OinkyThePiggy, Hannah, TheAngeloflego, AGR2016, Goldie -my dear Frost Buddy, this one is for you because I know you love your Rainbow Snowcone!- RJguzman318, THE NIGHTS RAGE, ObsidianLove, Alexia04 and Chuffi4Harmony for your reviews. You are the best.**

**As promised, fluff and action (OK, just a little action, I got carried away with the fluff, you know me)**

* * *

"Gretchen, do you have anything to add?" asked North, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"No. I just learned to run away every time Gaia looses control. She's usually pretty good around me anyway, she said I calm her down. But she also tried to kill me yesterday, so I wouldn't bet any money on that." she replied.

"We'll, I suppose they'll be at Gaia's Palace." offered Tooth.

"Too dangerous, sheila. We can't try to fight her on her own territory." said Bunny.

Sandy made a picture of the planet above his head. The whole world was Gaia's territory.

"You're right Sandy, but I agree with Bunny. Better to meet them somewhere we know, no?" added the Russian man.

"Burgess..." said Jack "we have believers there, you all will be stronger. The whole town is in ruins so it's not like we'll be causing any damage. All the survivors are gathered inside an old theater outside of town. If we stay away they'll be safe too."

"Believers, huh?" asked North with a knowing smile.

Jack smiled back. He didn't want to take too much credit. Bunny didn't know he had left the workshop earlier and Jack didn't want to listen to another one of his rants.

"Do we all agree on Burgess?" asked the Guardian of Wonder.

"Yes" said Bunny, to Jack's surprise.

"Yes" said Tooth.

Jack and Sandy nodded.

"Will they find us there?" asked Gretchen.

"Without a doubt, sheila" answered the pooka.

"We should get going then" said North, standing up.

Tooth got up and she immediately missed the cold from Jack's arms. She walked towards North and Bunny seized the chance to talk to the winter spirit.

"Mate, I..."

"Don't worry about it. I can't be mad at you for looking after her" said Jack looking at Tooth across the room "besides, little princess, we're making progress! Last time you wanted to kill me, this time you just tried to lock me up." laughed the winter boy.

"What can I say? You kinda grow on people, Snow White!" the pooka said, also laughing.

"I know, I can't help it, Princess Kangaroo" said Jack.

Tooth approached North.

"I need five minutes alone with Jack. We haven't had a chance to talk since we... broke up." said the fairy.

"I'll get the others in the sleigh. I'm thinking Gretchen and Bunny will need some persuasion, no? Don't take too long." said North, patting her back.

Jack went to follow Bunny out of the room, when his girlfriend's tiny hand caught his, pulling him back inside.

"Tooth, we have to..." his words got lost somewhere in her magenta eyes. Really, those eyes were literally hypnotizing.

She wrapped her hands around his neck and he held her tight, every line of her soft body pressed against his. Jack's face laid on his favorite spot, just between her neck and her shoulder, and he inhaled the flower nectar from her skin. This was heaven. This was home.

"How are you?" she whispered.

"I'm great!" he replied smiling, referring to that perfect moment right there.

Tooth slapped his head softly.

"Silly you! I mean, how are you... with North ... Bunny... everything that's going on, knowing that somehow you are still..."

He pulled away just enough to look at her.

"It's OK. I understand why they were worried. For a moment there I was worried too, before we talked to MiM. I'm still a bit worried." his eyes were searching hers "I'm sorry if I did make you feel uncomfortable. I never meant to..."

She used her index finger to keep him from talking.

"All you ever did was giving me giant butterflies and making my knees weak." she giggled "you always stopped when I asked you to and I do trust you. I know you can control whatever this is."

"When you said you'd come with me... I-I love so much Toothie, I-I... thank you." he just couldn't find the words to express what he felt. So much love and gratitude mixed together.

"I also want to be with you forever" she smiled, touching the heart shape pendant hanging from her neck "I was thinking... when this is over, maybe we can do it your way, maybe... if you want to, you could move to the Palace with me and the girls."

Jack chuckled.

"Only if get the left side of the bed!"

"Hey! You know that's my side!" protested the fairy.

"Just kidding. We are not doing anything 'my way'" he said, raising an eyebrow. "I'll keep waiting until we can do it your way, whatever that is." he said, closing the gap between them.

Jack was kissing her, the real Jack. Their lips danced softly, gently, as he held her tight, kissing her wonderful smile. They spun slowly in the air: frost and feathers.

* * *

Sandy made a picture of the sleight above his head, followed by a question mark.

"Yes, the other one was destroyed beyond repair. But you didn't really think I only had one, no? This is sport model" North winked.

"Mate, I really don't want to get on that dodgy dead trap." said Bunny, looking wide-eyed at the black sleigh. It was smaller than the one he knew and it had flame decals all over it.

"C'mon Bunny! This is not the time to separate. We all have to stick together, no?" said North.

Bunny gave an enormous sight as he walked towards the death trap. His hand instinctively searched behind him for Gretchen but she was nowhere to be found. He turned around to find her standing against the wall, almost holding on to it. A small, understanding smile adorned his face.

"Gretchen, is everything OK?" he asked, standing maybe one step closer than what was socially acceptable.

"There's no way I'm getting on that thing!" she whispered.

"C'mon sheila! We have to stick together, it's dangerous out there!" he said.

"The moment we leave the Pole, there'll be freaking storms everywhere!" she said, her eyes wide with fear.

Bunny was feeling a little guilty. He knew exactly what was going to happen, this wasn't going to be a pleasant ride and he himself didn't want to get on the bloody sleigh. He knew that she was still shaken from that morning when she almost... who wouldn't be shaken? And now he was asking her to put herself in danger once more.

"Hey, I got you" he said, holding her shoulders in his hands.

"No offense, but you can't fly either. I would prefer Goldie right now" she said looking at Sandy.

Bunny chuckled and held her hand.

"I've got you. I'm not letting go until our feet are safely on the ground once more. I promise." His eyes were trying to convey what his words didn't._ 'I would never let anything happen to you'._

Those eyes. She seriously wondered if he knew what he was doing to her. She knew she would regret it, but she was unable to say no as his hand pulled her towards the sleigh and helped her up.

Sandy looked at their hands and smiled excited, but Bunny looked at him angry. It wasn't like that and he better drop it before he ruined everything.

Jack and Tooth got on the sleigh shortly after. They were also holding hands.

"OK everyone, buckle up!" said North as the sleigh took off.

As soon as they were in the air, Gretchen's claws started digging into the pooka's skin, but he didn't dare complaining. He was the one who got her that scared after all.

* * *

The Groundhog's suspicions were right, and as soon as they crossed the portal, they met a perfect storm. The wind was blowing impossibly strong, the pouring rain clouding their senses, making it hard to see the others, even though they were standing less than a meter away from each other.

The sleigh twisted and turned, making it hard to hang on to it. She felt Bunny shifting, placing both her hands on the side of the sleigh and his body hunching over hers.

"Hold on!" he screamed in her ear as the sleigh did a three sixty.

She felt him loosing his grip on the slippery wood and fall.

"Bunnyyyy!" Gretchen screamed, but she knew the others couldn't hear her. "God dammit!" she yelled angrily.

She jumped out of the sleight after Bunny.


	17. Revelation

**WARNING: language. Don't blame me. Gretchen is angry**

**I know, too many dedications lately, but this one goes to OinkyThePiggy, who found a wonderful picture of a female Groundhog. Check it out **

**/~ from ****prismnet**

**I imagine her body being a bit more human, kind of like Lola ;) just so that she did inherit something from her mom. Her eyes would be bigger as well, but the rest of the face ia pretty close to what I picture she would look like.**

**sorry, my little monster managed to delete this chapter earlier. Here it is again.**

* * *

"Toooooooth! Saaaaandy!" he screamed, but he knew it was in vain, there was no way they could hear him or see him.

Bunny was falling. He was desperately looking for something to hold on to, anything, but it was impossible to see with the heavy fog and the speed in which he was falling. His heart was pounding in his chest. This could not be it. This could not be the end. There had to be a way.

Just as he was about to loose hope, he felt something wrapping around his waist. A tree branch? He was trying to make sense of it all when he saw a black figure coming towards him and his stomached flinched. Gaia. Who else could make a tree hug him? She was coming fast. The pooka tried to reach his boomerangs to no avail, unable to escape the tree's tight grip.

And then, the muffled sounds coming from the black figure started to make sense. Bunny smiled. It wasn't Gaia, it was Gretchen.

"You stupid, freaking idiot! You liar, asshole! You promised! How dare you let go of my hand like that!" she was raging, running done the tree in all fours, all her animal instincts surfacing.

Bunny felt something stir in his chest. She was scared. Her eyes were wide with terror. Whatever he felt that morning when she was the one falling... she felt it too. It was mutual. He smiled widely. If this was really the end of the world, then he would go with no regrets.

"You idiotic freak! Do you know how scared I was! What was I supposed to do if something happened to you! You promised to keep _me_ safe, you moron!" the Groundhog kept ranting. She needed to let out the adrenaline or she would explode.

"Gretchen, just put me down so I can kiss you." he said nonchalantly.

"You fuc... What?!" she stopped on her tracks.

"You did this, right? Put me down so that I can kiss you" he repeated slowly, as if he was talking to little Sophie.

And putting him down she did. The tree loosened it's grip on the pooka, who fell unceremoniously on his bum with a loud thump.

"Gretchen, you have to come down now" he smiled, although he wasn't sure that she could hear him.

Was he kidding her? Did he really mean what she though he meant? She was frozen in place, but the tree slowly brought her to the ground. She eyed him suspiciously but he was just standing there, his hand outstretched for her to take it, his white smile shinning through the heavy fog. She slowly walked towards him, unsure. As soon as she was close enough, he took her hand, entwining their fingers together, just like lovers do. She still didn't smile. Frankly she was just frozen.

They were both soaking wet from the storm. But it didn't matter. The world around them was just a blur. There was nothing but his hand on hers, nothing but her beautiful green eyes piercing his. As far as they were concerned, they were the only two people in this Earth.

He hesitantly pull her closer, placing his other hand on her neck, his thumb caressing her jaw. His smoldering eyes were piercing hers, searching. He wanted her to know that he was really going to kiss her. He wanted to make sure that this was OK. It wasn't really because of his romantic nature. Bunny didn't have any. He was not the kind of guy who would shower a girl with compliments or even say 'I love you' ten times a day. He was not the type to gift flowers and chocolates either, and he definitely wouldn't be writing any poems anytime soon. No, Bunny was actions over words. He wouldn't say it, he would show it. He was the open arms to hold her tight, the kind, trustful eyes that would always be there, the knight in shiny armor that would go to the depths of Hell to find her.

He wasn't trying to be romantic at all, but Gretchen was strong and really short tempered. He wanted to make sure that she knew he was serious. He preferred to avoid debilitating injuries before the battle had even started.

She was sure her body had dissolved in the rain because all she could feel was her thumping heart and his thumb setting her face on fire. His hand let hers go but she didn't protest. Her body was limp as could be. He placed his hand on her back, pulling her even closer until their foreheads were touching. Her whole body was in flames now and the butterflies in her stomach were throwing a party as she felt his warm breath on her face.

"I can barely concentrate with you around" he whispered.

She couldn't feel her knees at all, she was sure that only his hands were keeping her upright.

"I need you to do something for me" he continued, their noses were touching now.

"Anything" she managed to breath. She was about to swoon. She had dreamt about this moment for centuries.

"I need you to go to the old theater and stay there. I need to know that you are safe" he said, closing the gap between them.

"What?!" Gretchen pushed him away. "Fuck you, E. Aster Bunnymund!" she was fuming. "You have to be freaking kidding me! I just saved your ass! I didn't need any help this morning until your stupid friend tried to help me! You misogynistic bastard! I have freaking magic! I'm as strong as you are, as fast as you are! So what if I'm scared of heights? You are scared of heights too!"

She gasped. Her eyes wide with an emotion Bunny couldn't understand.

"Bunny..." she said so low he could barely hear her "have you noticed... how similar we are?"

"I have noticed many things about you, love" he said, reaching for her hand again. "I'm sorry, I know you can do this, I'm just afraid to loose you. It makes me vulnerable to Pitch."

Gretchen didn't even hear that. She was lost somewhere far away.

* * *

"Mom, are you sure I'm not adopted or something? C'mon, I'm almost 90 now, you can tell me!" asked a very young Gretchen.

Gretchen's mother was still a very beautiful woman despite her advanced age. Her green butterfly wings were decorated with intricate patterns and long green curls framed her delicate face.

"You are my beautiful daughter, my own flesh and blood. Have you seen your eyes? They're exactly like mommy's" she said, tickling the little girl.

And they were. Gretchen's eyes were the exact same olive green as her mother's. The same intense color of her wings and hair.

"But... why am I so different? Why can't I be a pretty girl with butterfly wings?" asked Gretchen , sadness written all over her face.

"Gretchen, you are a beautiful girl. You are only different because daddy was not a fairy like us. You are very special, sweetie." replied her mom.

"What was daddy? Maybe I could find his people and..." asked Gretchen. She had asked many times before, but she never got an answer.

"Your dad was a brave, loving man. He loved us both very much. He died trying to save others, trying to protect _you_. He was a hero. He's still looking after you, he'll always look after you."

* * *

"A pooka" she breathed. "I am a pooka"

"I thought so too, but it's impossible. We are all bunnies." said Bunny, his hand found it's way to her neck once more. "Unless you're changing your appearance on purpose... are you?"

"No, I can't do that. Trust me, I've tried. But I would only be half pooka, my mother was a Forest Fairy..." she offered.

The Guardian's mouth fell open.

"Gretchen... how old exactly are you?" he asked, hesitant.

"Seven hundred and thirty... two, thirty three?" she really stopped counting after five hundred.

"Ronan!" breathed Bunny. "You..." he started breathing heavily "you are a pooka... I knew your father."


	18. Pooka

**OK, just letting you know that I'm shameless and you owe me a gazillion of reviews for this. **

**I love you all :)**

* * *

"Ronan!" breathed Bunny. "You..." he started breathing heavily "you are a pooka... I knew your father."

"What?" she asked.

"We all were amazed when he came back to help after Pitch's invasion. We knew your mother was expecting you, but he said that Pitch needed to be stopped or you wouldn't be safe either." he looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry, love"

"How was he? Were you two friends?" she asked.

She wanted to know so many things about her father for centuries but both her mother and Gaia always refused to tell her. She now knew why. Had she known what Pitch did, Gretchen would have gone after him a long time ago.

"I didn't know him well, I was only a young adult and he was a respected elder, so we never spoke much. I know he was kind and I know first hand he was brave. I also know he must have loved your mother very much to leave everything behind the way he did and live in the forest with her." said Bunny. He was sorry that he couldn't tell her more.

"Do I... look like him" she knew it was a silly, childish question, but she really wanted to know if she had something of her father in her.

"Your fur... same brown and grey color" he smiled.

She smiled back. Her heart was full of emotion. She did look like him. She was finally getting some answers.

"I was really sorry that he didn't... I don't even know how I survived, really. I got hit and when I woke up..." Bunny closed his eyes to stop them from prickling.

He couldn't finish the sentence, but Gretchen guessed the rest: they were all dead, everything was destroyed. Pitch must've thought he was dead too. She felt murderous. She wanted to kill Pitch for killing her father and her people, for hurting Bunny, for taking Gaia.

"I went looking for you" he continued to her surprise.

Talking helped him fight back the tears, it gave him something to concentrate on. Life went on, and so did Bunny.

"I felt responsible for you, I felt that I owed him that" Bunny said, looking at her once more "your mother didn't let me see you, she said you were a fairy and she would raise you as one. She asked me to stay away so Pitch couldn't know who you were. It made perfect sense at the time, so I never tried to find you again."

"My mother... lied to you? Why?" Gretchen asked.

"Because had I known that you weren't a fairy I would've taken you away." he replied matter of factly.

"Why would you do _that_?!" she asked again.

"Because we pookas... we are pragmatic. We give less importance to feelings and more importance to logic. You were not a fairy, you couldn't be raised like a fairy, you wouldn't really fit in and looking so different would raise suspicion, putting you at risk. You would have been safer hidden in my warren. You would have been happier."

"Bunny, you are the opposite of pragmatic!" she said smiling.

"I wasn't always like this, love. Centuries ago North convinced me to have chocolate. It has strange effects on pookas, you know? I know that as a result I am short tempered and emotional, but I kinda like myself better now. I was alone, Gretchen. I was lonely. I was putting barriers between myself and everyone else. Now I can bond with others, make friends...fall in love." he said.

His eyes were shinning with emotion so bright, it was like staring at the sun and Gretchen was forced to close hers. Did he just say...? Did he mean...?

"Fall in love" she breathed without thinking.

A tornado swept her of her feet as Bunny held her tight and pressed his lips hard against hers. They melted in an urgent, passionate kiss, his hands snaking all over her body and hers holding on to his muscular back for dear life, her heart menacing to explode as her fingers buried themselves into his fur feeling his soft skin. They were biting, gasping, barely taking time to breath, leaning into each other as if every inch apart was unbearable, trying to pack four hundred years of unrealized lust and love into this one kiss, aware it could be their only chance.

Their tongues were dancing now. She tiptoed to tug at the fur on his scalp and run her fingers at the base of his ears, sending shivers up and down his spine. He smiled when he realized that her new position gave him better access to her hips. She gasped, but she didn't complaint at all. Gretchen had dreamt about this moment for centuries but even in her wildest dreams... she couldn't imagine this much passion was possible. Bunny was a blizzard, no, he was fire, he was fire ravaging her skin, melting her body, fusing it with his own.

To her dismay, after a few minutes that felt more like seconds, he slowed down the kiss, his lips gently caressing hers as his hands moved to either side of her face. She tried to protest, she tried to pull him closer again, but really she had lost control over her body the moment his lips had touched hers.

He pecked her lips a few times before breaking apart. He didn't want to let her go either, but they had work to do. He touched their foreheads together once more.

"When this is over, we'll finish what we started" he whispered.

She wanted to come back with something sexy, but her knees turned to butter and she fell on him in the most unattractive way. He held her up and chuckled, pressing her tight against him, her head laying on his shoulder as he planted a kiss on the back of her scalp.

After a lifetime he pulled apart again. 'No regrets' he thought, looking at the gorgeous woman standing next to him love radiating from her eyes. He held both her hands on his, taking a step back to take a better look at her.

"Gretchen, I..." he began.

A green blur trapped him, pushing him away from Gretchen and spinning him in the air.

"Bunny! You're OK! I was so scared!"

Gretchen was about to kill fucking Little Miss Sunshine. Doesn't she freaking have her own boyfriend? She stood there murderous, waiting for the nosy bitch to put Bunny down so she could kick her feather covered arse.

"Tooth, I..." said the Guardian of Hope flustered, looking at the Groundhog and getting increasingly worried about Toot's safety. "can you put me down, now?"

"Sure... Umm... sorry. I got carried away" she said, her cheeks turning pink.

"That's an understatement" laughed the pooka.

Once Bunny was on the ground, a furious Gretchen walked towards them ready to jump over the fairy. Jack landed between the girls, smiling widely. Unlike his hyper girlfriend, he did realize that Bunny and the Groundhog were having a _moment_ before they interrupted.

"As much as Bunny and I would seriously enjoy this cat fight, I think it's better to avoid unnecessary injuries right now." the winter spirit chuckled.

Bunny went to stand next to Gretchen, wrapping his arm around her waist, both to let Tooth know what was going on and to hold back his girl in case she was still angry.

Tooth eyes widened.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said, taking her hands to her mouth.

"It's alright, lo..." Bunny looked at Gretchen and decided not to push it "...Tooth!"

Jack was still chuckling. He pointed his staff to the sky, the blue light alerting Sandy and North of their location.


	19. Found

**And... Action!**

* * *

North saw the signal in the sky.

"Sandy, over there!" he said, pointing at the blue light.

They were traveling on a golden sand all terrain vehicle, courtesy of Sandy, its big wheels navigating easy through the destruction around them. The storm was too intense for flying and after a very rough landing, they decided to try their luck by land instead. The Sand Man sped up through the debris at his friend's command, towards the place Jack had signaled.

"Do you think they're OK?" asked the Russian man.

Sandy shrugged. It was a long shot for two people who couldn't fly, but somehow he had faith in Bunny's ability to survive. A smile illuminated his golden face as they approached the clearing. The pooka was not only alive, but his arm was wrapped tightly around Gretchen's waist.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't realize... I was so worried about you two..." said Tooth.

"Clearly you were really worried about me..." snarled Gretchen.

It wasn't so much that she was jealous. She knew that Tooth only had eyes for handsome and who could blame her, really. The Groundhog was just angry that they were interrupted. God dammit, Bunny was about to say something and the way he was looking at her... if he loved her too she wanted to freaking hear it, and now thanks to Little Miss Sunshine she may never get a chance. She felt his grip tightened around her waist, he could obviously feel the tension building inside her. Or maybe he just wanted to hold her tight, it did feel pretty darn good after all.

"How did you even survive that?" asked Jack, curious. Two spirits who couldn't fly, falling down from an out of control sleigh during a terrible storm was unbelievable, even for the Kangaroo.

"Turns out that Gretchen here is a Forest Fairy. She only needed help this morning after we tried to help her." said Bunny, bumping the Groundhog softly with his shoulder as he smiled widely, obviously proud.

"Uhh... but Forrest Fairies look like...?" asked Jack, he was even more confused now.

"My father was a pooka" offered Gretchen and Tooth's eyes widened.

"Bunny that means you're not the only one of your kind anymore!" smiled the Tooth Fairy.

"Well... technically she's only half pooka... but it would have to do!" he said, smiling at Gretchen and pulling her closer again.

"Hey! What do you mean it would have to do?" she protested back, punching his chest.

North and Sandy got down from the golden vehicle.

"Bunny, glad to see you are alright! Better than alright, no?" said the Russian raising an eyebrow, noticing the little exchange between the Easter Bunny and the Groundhog.

Sandy was smiling widely, a heart and a question mark displayed over his head.

Bunny looked at Gretchen, those smoldering green eyes shinning with emotion again, melting her from the inside out. She sighted and looked at Sandy.

"OK, you can get a bit excited, but I wouldn't count on happy endings unless we stop Gaia soon. I can feel it. This may become irreversible even if we bring her back." she said serious.

When she became one with the tree to save Bunny, she realized the extent of the damage. The earth was changing fast. Even stopping her friend was no guarantee that they could stop the chain events that had been already been unleashed.

Bunny wrapped his other arm around her as well and kissed her temple.

"There's still time. Spring can still come, I can feel it..." Bunny began, in his best Guardian of Hope fashion, but he was forced to stop as the ground under his feet started shaking. An earthquake.

"Oh there you are? I've been looking all over for you, winter boy. We have a score to settle, remember?" said Serafina, her black sand face adorned with a malicious smile.

Tooth tried desperately to fly to Jack's side. She felt so stupid. She was supposed to keep him safe, to hold his hand and don't let go, but she let herself get distracted and now her winter boy was standing all alone between her and Bunny, at Gaia's mercy. She barely advanced a couple of meters before a herd of fearlings surrounded her.

"Tooth!" Jack tried to fly towards her , but of course the wind couldn't obey him anymore.

"Not so fast, Toothiana!" said Pitch, putting his hand on his daughter's shoulder "isn't it delightful? All the Guardians together! Even your cute friend is here!"

Sandy held North and they both flew to Tooth's aid, while Jack and the pookas were still trying to regain their balance as the earthquake intensified. Bunny let Gretchen's waist go to have better range of movement, but he held her hand. There was no way he was letting go of her again. He was clinging to her hand so tightly that he was hurting her, but she didn't complaint. She didn't want to let go either. She didn't want to be in Jack's and Tooth's shoes. They were silently agreeing that if they were going to die it would be together.

"Oh, would you look at that! I told you that they were in love! You two are so perfect for each other" said Pitch maliciously, looking at the pookas holding hands. "I can't believe I'm finally getting the chance to kill every last pooka... but don't worry rabbit, we'll kill her fast and painless. You, on the other hand..."

Bunny looked at the boogeyman menacingly and took a step forward with difficulty, trying to shield Gretchen. She couldn't tell, as the ground beneath their feet started cracking.

Tooth was fighting fearlings left and right, her sharp wings tearing them apart as she tried to find a way out, more worried about Jack's safety than her own. She panicked when she saw Sandy and North by her side.

"But Jack...?" she asked.

Why were they helping her? Wasn't Jack the key? Wasn't protecting her winter boy the only thing that mattered? What if something happened to him? What if Gaia... killed him?

"Too many fearlings Tooth. I'm sure Bunny has it under control, no?" said North, slicing three fearlings in half with his swords.

"But she can kill Jack!" she screamed again.

Didn't North understand that Mother Nature could kill him in a blink of an eye? What were they going to do if Jack...? What was she going to do if Jack...? She was hyperventilating but fighting the fearlings furiously, trying to find a way to get to her boyfriend.

"Tooth, you can't do this alone. Bunny and Gretchen will look after Jack." insisted the Russian.

* * *

Jack also noticed the big cracks under his feet. He tried with all his might to walk towards the pookas but it was near impossible. The place where he was standing was shaking more furiously than the rest of the clearing and he found himself falling on the ground over and over again. Abruptly the ground started sinking.

"Handsome!" screamed Gretchen, realizing what was going on.

In a matter of seconds Jack disappeared in a cloud of dust as the area where he was standing sank down, the trees around him catching fire.

"Frostbite!" yelled Bunny.

The Guardian of Hope froze for a split second. He couldn't just leave snowflake down there but it was suicidal to try and rescue him. It was dangerous to leave Gretchen alone, but she could take care of herself and it was worse to take her with him. He let her hand go as he hopped into the fire pit after Jack.

The Groundhog realized that he wanted her to stay put, but of course she jumped too. There was no way she was letting her pooka go into that Hell alone


	20. Hell

**Sorry about the angst. It was bound to happen.**

**Wow! 185 reviews! We've already surpassed A Little Big Word! I'm so excited! I can't stop squealing!**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone, especially to these lovely people who reviewed the last three chapters (sorry I haven't said thanks in a while): AGR2016, Goldie my Frost buddy, Hanna-I always love your suggestions, keep them coming!-, ShawnaCrazyGirl, creatorX33, ObsidianLove-the biggest Grabbit fan out there-, OinkyThePiggy, TheAngeloflego, Everlak-forever12, Revenge of the Red Pen, Chuffi4Harmony, xXBroken ThoughtsXx**

******You feed my review addiction and encourage me to keep writing. I don't even hate action scenes so much any more! Speaking of which...**

* * *

Everything was blurry. The heat was unbearable. Jack was sweating buckets and he put his hood over his head to protect his face, as small blisters started appearing on his hands and feet. He tried to call out for help but his throat was impossibly dry. This was it, this was his end. The irony. The first time he had died it had been under frozen water. The second time under raging flames.

His mind drifted towards his family. It was comforting to even have a family to think about after being alone for so long. At least they were safe. 'Not for long' said a voice in his head. If they didn't stop Gaia soon... would MiM replace him? Maybe that's what he should have done all along. Replace him with a new Guardian of Fun, one that Gaia couldn't melt. One who was not possessed by evil. 'Please, just don't let it be Jamie'.

He thought of Jamie, his first believer, his very first hug. He hoped the kiddo knew how much he meant to him. He thought of Sophie and the cute way in which she said his name, o'uncle Jack'. He couldn't help but smiling thinking that her blond hair would not obey her, just like his. And Mandy, he remembered the safety of her arms and he lost himself in that feeling.

He was struggling to keep his eyes opened, not that it mattered, all he could see around was smoke and flames. 'Don't you dare closing your eyes, Jack!' he could almost hear Toothie's voice in his head. Tooth... to anyone else it would have seemed cruel to spend three hundred years alone just to have a few moths of her, but to her winter boy she was well worth it. He would have happily spent six hundred years alone just to have one day with Tooth.

"Sorry Tooth" he breathed, his eyelids were so heavy now.

Just as his eyes were closing, he heard Bunny's voice in the distance. The boy clung to that voice, resisting the urge of closing his eyes. Hope was here.

"Bloody Hell, Gretchen! I wanted you to stay up there!" said Aster, coughing.

The Groundhog didn't reply. Her eyes were closed and she was focusing very hard, trying to feel Jack through the trees. It wasn't easy, the trees were scared, they knew they were about to die. A tear ran down her cheek. Feeling the forest's pain was one of the perks of being a fairy.

"Gretchen?" he called her name as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

He didn't understand what she was doing, he imagined that she was very afraid. Even he was afraid, they were really in Hell. Everything around them was on fire, the black and thick smoke making it hard to see, hard to breathe. It was so hot, even for them, and he wondered how were they going to find Jack amidst the smoke. He wondered if they would even find him alive. Suddenly Gretchen opened her eyes, startling him.

"This way" she said, running to her right and Aster understood what she had been doing.

They ran a few meters before a dark figure appeared just in front of them. Gaia.

"Gretchen, Gretchen, Gretchen. Do you really think you can stop me?" said Seraphina.

"God dammit, Gaia! You used to be smarter than this!" replied the Groundhog, not a spec of fear in her eyes. "Get handsome!" she said to Bunny, but her eyes were fixed on her friend.

"You get him, I'll handle this!" said the Guardian. There was no way he was leaving her alone with Mother Nature.

"Oh yeah? How? Fuck Aster, just treat me like an equal for once in your freaking life and listen to me!" Gretchen screamed furious, her eyes still locked on Gaia's.

"Oh, lovers' brawl, how sweet! Too bad this relationship will be very short..." said Seraphina.

"You shut up, you idiot! You should know better than to get yourself down here with me!" yelled Gretchen. She was really frustrated. She didn't want to hurt her friend, but she didn't have a choice.

Bunny just couldn't move. He wanted to, he could see that she did seem to know what she was doing and he wanted to show her that he did consider her his equal, but the thought of loosing her was paralysing.

"I don't want to hurt you, Gaia. Get out of here." warned the Groundhog.

"Someone is over confident..." replied Seraphina, trying to hit her friend with a lightning strike.

Bunny's heart stopped, but Gretchen moved just in time. She was indeed as fast as he was. Aster was about to attack Gaia but he heard Jack coughing badly and ran to his help, watching the two women battle from the corner of his eyes. His friend was still alive, but he probably didn't have much time.

"I'm sorry, Gaia. You taught me too well." said Gretchen, her expression one of sadness and determination.

The flaming trees wrapped around Mother Nature's body, who screamed in pain before disappearing, only to reappear a few meters away. The ground kept shaking frantically and small fires were starting all around Gretchen, but she was too fast for her friend.

The trees kept attacking Seraphina with its branches, the fire engulfing them burning her black sand skin. The Groundhog had been successfully dodging almost every attack, but the heat was beginning to get to her, the smoke was making it too hard to see and she had begun coughing loudly.

* * *

"Jack, mate, are you alright?" Bunny asked, but he could tell that Jack was not alright. The boy was soaking wet, thick sweat drops covering his blushed, red face and the pooka could see the blisters on the back of his hands.

Jack looked at him, his eyes were so clouded that Aster wondered if he could really see him. The boy tried to say something, but he only managed to cough again, his eyelids menacing to close.

"Just stay with me OK? I'm gonna get you out of here. Keep your eyes open, mate. We're gonna make it, just one more minute" said Bunny, lifting Jack up from the floor and running back to Gretchen.

A lightening hit a tree next to the Groundhog, the trunk falling on her, knocking her to the ground. The Guardian of Hope panicked when he saw Gretchen breathing heavily, lying on the floor. Gaia was laughing malevolently, ready to give her the last blow. He was just too far away. He ran with all his might, with a half conscious Jack on his shoulder, but he just knew he wasn't going to make it in time to save her.

"What is it Gretchen? Tired already?" asked Gaia maliciously.

"Yes." replied Gretchen with difficulty, just as a tree branch hit Gaia on the nape of the neck and knocked her unconscious.

Bunny ran to Gretchen's side, panting.

"Are you OK? That was... you're amazing!" he said panting, helping her up.

She cough loudly, holding her middle and smiled back. Adrenaline was running through his body, he wanted to hug her and kiss her, he wanted to tell her that he loved her, but Jack became heavier as his consciousness slipped away.

"Oh no, you don't!" he said, shifting Jack to hold him like a baby so he could see the boy's face as his foot tapped the floor, opening a rabbit hole.

"Open your eyes, Jack! We're getting out of here!" said Bunny and the winter spirit obeyed, his eyelids fluttering open "that's better, mate!"

"Ladies first" he signaled for her to enter the tunnel. She signaled to wait.

"We don't have time to wait!" yelled Bunny, looking at his fellow Guardian and then back at Gretchen.

A tree lifted Gaia to the safety of the ground above them.

"I love her. And we need her." said Gretchen with difficulty, stepping into the tunnel.


	21. Nature and Magic

**Yey! Who would be the 200th review?! **

* * *

Tooth was getting tired. There were so many fearlings and they seemed to be getting stronger. At this pace she would never get to Jack, he may already be...

"Tooth!" yelled North "you have to calm down! It is you! Your fear is making them stronger!"

Tooth gasped. Of course North was right. By worrying about Jack she was stupidly enough making it more difficult to get to him.

"I love Jack too, no? Give Bunny and Gretchen some credit, for all you know they are at the pole eating ice cream with the elves!" he yelled again, as he sliced a fearling with his blades.

Tooth smiled. She knew that eating ice cream was a stretch, but she also knew that the pookas had just survived the impossible, that Gretchen was also a fairy and that Bunny would never let anything bad happen to Jack.

* * *

Bunny was running down his tunnel as fast as he could. It would have been faster hopping but he needed to carry Jack. Gretchen was running just behind him, holding her side.

"Sheila, are you OK?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I'm fine." she dismissed him.

"I know you're not..." he said just before he felt the boy's head fall backwards.

"Jack... stay awake, mate. We're almost there. As fast as we can. You're gonna be in the snow real soon."

Jack didn't open his eyes this time. He was giving up.

"Tooth! I'll tell you what's the deal with her if you stay awake! You really have to hear this, snowflake!" there was panic in his voice. Tooth would kill him if he let anything happen to Jack.

The winter boy gave him the tiniest of smiles. His eyes fluttered, but he didn't open them.

"You of all people are going to laugh so much!" continued the pooka, even though he knew that Jack couldn't hear him anymore.

The tunnel took them to the nearest white mountain top. A soon as they came out, Aster placed the boy's lifeless body in the snow and started convering him with it, until Gretchen's hand stopped him. She lifted the boy's hoodie up, careful not to touch his skin, afraid of transferring even more heat into him. She knew that the ride in Bunny's arms may have made it worse for the winter spirit. The Groundhog inspected Jack's skin and was glad to find that only his hands and legs were burned. His clothes seemed to have somehow protected him from the heat, trapping his natural cold inside.

"It's only his hands and legs. He'll be fine." she said, covering him with snow.

Bunny's stomach flinched. He hadn't seen Jack's legs until Gretchen mentioned it. Little blisters covered the now very red skin of his calves, ankles and feet. It looked really painful.

"The fire never touched him, it was just from the heat." said Bunny.

Gretchen caressed the ends of Jack's white hair, tears menacing to fall from her eyes as she studied the boy. He was strong, but skinny, his arms and legs somewhat still a little too long for his body. Without the light from his mischievous eyes, his face was so innocent, so young. He was just a kid.

"Hey" said Bunny, sitting by her side. He knew what she was thinking, he was thinking it too. But he also knew that frostbite was not as fragile as he looked. "He'll be fine. He just looks like a kid, you know? You should have seen him when he was possessed!" He added with a forced smile, trying to cheer her up.

"He certainly scares Pitch enough to order Gaia to kill him. What I can't explain is why would she risk herself. That was the only setting in which I could have won. She knew I would have a good chance, why would she even try?" asked Gretchen, holding Jack's jaw in her hands, forcing his mouth open to put a little bit of snow inside. The boy seemed to savor it, but he was still unconscious.

"Maybe she's got the same ego problem as her daddy. She knew you could do that, but she didn't think you could beat her." he added thoughtful.

"She does have an ego problem, but who wouldn't? She's freaking Mother Nature after all" she offered, putting more snow into Jack's mouth.

Bunny smiled at her. He could not believe he had been so blind for four hundred years. She was so beautiful, so strong, so brave, so caring...

"You were amazing back there. Why didn't you tell us you could defeat Gaia?" he asked, still trying to take in the wonder that was this girl. His girl...?

"I never imagined she would give me a chance like that. And I doubt we'll have another one." she said, disappointed. She was angry that they had wasted their best shot.

"How can you do that? I mean, why does Jack loose his powers to Gaia but you don't?" Bunny asked, holding her hand. Suddenly it felt so natural to do so, as if they had been together for years.

"Gaia and Jack, and you too for that matter, are nature spirits. You have a connection with the Earth that allows you to command nature. But you can only ask it to do things it would normally do. You can make plants grow, because that's what plants do. Jack can make it snow in winter but not in summer. Gaia couldn't create a tornado in the fire pit because there was no cold air to form one." she stopped to make sure Bunny was following. He nodded. She continued diligently giving snow to the winter boy.

"What I have is magic. The nature of my powers is different. I can make trees grow, but I can also make them move. I can make animals do my will as well. The idea is to help the Forest survive, to somewhat counteract Gaia's excesses." she said, looking at Jack. His face was slowly returning to his normal ghostly pale.

"We fairies don't work against Mother Nature, we work with her, we ensure that the balance is kept, that only that which should be destroyed would be destr..." her words trailed away as his eyes found hers. She smiled nervously, as they stared at each other for a century.

"I'm sorry for being overprotective, love." Bunny broke the silence, their previous conversation forgotten long time ago "I know you can look after yourself, I just... I'm scared of loosing you." he said, his forehead touching hers.

Her chest was about to explode. The warm feeling was almost painful. Her lips seemed to be finding their way to his on their own accord.

"I don't want to loose you eith..." started Gretchen.

"Ouch!" yelled Jack. He tried to get up using his right hand for support. He gasped loudly as his eyes examined the damage. It looked bad.

"Don't worry handsome" said Gretchen smiling as she took his hand and buried it back in the white snow "it's just your hands and legs. It's superficial, you'll be fine."

Jack stared at her for a moment, then at Bunny. This two people had just risked their lives to save his.

"Thank you" he said.

"No worries, mate. You would've done the same." smiled Bunny. The boy smiled back. Of course he would have.

"Hey! I'm sure I remember you saying something about Tooth!" the winter spirit said, winking.

"Oh, frostbite, you won't believe this! She wants to... wait for it... she wants to get married!" Bunny chuckled almost uncontrollably. He was expecting Jack to laugh but the boy didn't. Instead, he looked confused and angry.

"What?!" asked the winter spirit surprised.

That didn't make any sense at all. Spirits didn't get married. Unlike humans, spirits knew that every God, every creature, every myth was real, and so there were no religions. Who would they believe in? There were no laws either. Without laws or religions the institution of marriage couldn't really exist.

"But... I was sure spirits don't get married..." said Jack, more to himself than to Bunny.

"We don't, mate. That's what makes this so funny!" Bunny was still chuckling.

"But... I gave her a diamond... I told her I wanted to be with her forever... isn't that the same thing?" Jack was looking at Gretchen for answers now.

"It... kind of... I don't know handsome, I think little miss sunshine has a loose screw." said Gretchen obviously suppressing a laugh. "A friend of mine did it, though. Get married. As in, throwing a wedding party."

"But it was not a wedding, was it?" Jack asked again. It seemed that thinking about this was more painful than his injuries.

"Well... no. I mean, they had vows and all... but... it was just a party." she replied.

"So, if I get this straight" said Jack "Tooth just wants us to throw a party to let everyone know that we'll be having sex now." the winter boy looked like he was back in the fire pit.

Gretchen couldn't contain her laughter anymore.

"When you put it that way..." she chuckled, holding her side "ouch... I was thinking more about celebrating your love... oh, no..." she couldn't continue. Tears started falling down her cheeks.

"Gretchen..." Bunny looked at her, studying her. She was still smiling but she was obviously in pain, lots of pain "why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"


	22. Sea of Nightmares

**Hi everyone! Sorry for being away for so long. Writer's block :(**

**But I'm back now! And with a bang ;) **

**Thanks to Hanna, Goldie and Obsie for their kind words of advie and to everyone else for your reviews. And special thanks to mlequithinh for pushing me to go that extra mile. We'll have that action we talked about next chapter.**

**I'll explain the magic thing again because not everyone seemed to get it:**

**Jack and Gaia have a connection with nature. They can make a dog bark because dogs can bark, but they can never make a dog talk because dogs just can't talk.**

**Gretchen has magic. She can make a dog talk if she wants to. That's why she can move trees when Gaia can't.**

**I just realized I've never added a disclaimer. I don't owe ROTG (if I did we would be watching part 2 right now) but Gretchen and the Grabbit ship are all mine. I am happy for anyone to use them (who am I kidding? I'm super honored that Obsie used it in her awesome story 'Is Online') as long I get credit for it ;)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Seraphina?!" yelled Pitch at the sight of his unconscious daughter lying on the ground.

He kneeled next to her, his hands caressing her burnt skin, covering the bloody wound at the back of her neck with a piece of his clothes. Pitch's yellow eyes narrowed. He was flaming with rage and these three Guardians were going to pay for what their friends did to his Sera.

The fearlings eyes shone a brighter shade of yellow as a sea of nightmares fiercely charged towards the Guardians once more, a reflexion of their masters anger.

* * *

"Gretchen..." Bunny looked at her, studying her. She was still smiling but she was obviously in pain, lots of pain "why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"

"Because I'm fine." she replied coldly.

"Crickey, Gretchen! You really don't have to be tough all the time, you know? It's OK if you're hurt." Aster insisted.

Gretchen got up from the floor with some difficulty and walked a few steps away from the boys turning around to glare at Bunny, a clear sign that she wanted him to follow her. The Guardians shared a glance before Aster sighted and walked towards her.

"You are not using a minor injury as an excuse to leave me behind!" she whispered loudly.

"It doesn't seem very minor from where I'm standing. You can barely move!" he whispered back.

The winter boy could hear them arguing but he wasn't really paying attention. He was still thinking about Tooth. And the wedding. It's not like he didn't want to marry her, he knew for sure that he wanted to be with Tooth for the rest of forever and throwing a party to celebrate their love was not a bad idea after all. He was angry because she expected him to guess what she wanted, even though spirits didn't get married. He was angry because knowing Tooth he should have guessed. She was obviously expecting him to propose all this time. And he better make it memorable. The thought brought a smile to his face before his attention returned to the other two lovers, who were obviously talking about him now.

"What about Frostbite?!" Jack heard Bunny asking.

"What about him?" asked Gretchen in return.

There was no way he was staying here while Tooth was out there fighting. His eyes searched his surroundings until he found it, his old wooden staff. It was lying just about a meter away from him, and he silently thanked Bunny for rescuing it from the flames as well. His hand automatically tried to reach his weapon, but as soon as the sore skin left the coldness of the soothing snow, the pain stung again. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. Nevertheless, his fingers wrapped around the familiar wood which seemed to shine by his touch, and he clung to it like it was a comforting hug. And just then, the wind whispered in his ear.

"You have to stay behind to look after Snowflake anyway! He won't survive another attack and the others need me, I can't stay here!" snarled Aster.

"We can leave him with the yetis and you know it. You're just a freaking idiot! That's why I hate you!" she screamed.

She may have as well stabbed Bunny in the chest. He felt a surge of pain and anger rush through his body and he remembered why he hated this woman for centuries. She was impossible. He was an idiot to think that the last twenty hours would have changedthat.

"And you are bloody stubborn! I'm only trying to keep you safe because I..." Bunny yelled back before he was interrupted.

"Guys, there's no need to be melodramatic! No one is staying behind to look after me. I'm coming with you." interjected Jack, flying towards them. He carried his staff on his shoulder, his hand barely holding it in place. Even then, it was impossible to hide the pain he was in.

"Nice try, mate but you're not in a condition to go anywhere like that. And neither is she." replied Bunny.

"We're running out of time! We're all going to die anyway unless we do something soon. The wind just told me. I'm going and you can't stop me." said Jack defiantly.

"You won't survive thirty seconds out there!" retorted Bunny.

"Unless he doesn't have to be out there..." offered Gretchen, and both Guardians could almost see her brain working.

"You really are half pooka, aren't you?" said Bunny smiling in understanding.

* * *

"North!" cried Tooth desperate, a tsunami of nightmares charging at them "I swear I'm not doing it!"

"Bunny?" North yelled, wondering wether the other Guardian did something to enrage Pitch or wether his fear was causing this. He hoped for the former.

Sandy and Tooth went to hover next to North, forming a circle with their backs to each other. They were injured, they were tired, they were surrounded. But they had been doing this for centuries. The russian handed one of his swords over to the fairy, and he took his spare knife out from the pouch in his right boot as the Sand Man readied his golden sand whips.

Working as a well oiled machine, they diligently sliced a nightmare after another, helping each other, giving each other strength. There was no denying that even with the few believers they had in Burgess, they were still weak or that these nightmares were more powerful than they used to be before Pitch's encounter with the Gods of pain.

But the Guardians' determination never faltered. Tooth kicked and punched, using her newly acquired blade instead of her wings to pierce the black sand, so as to not break the circle of protection they had created, but also spinning around her friends every now and then, killing every fearling her sharp wings touched, keeping the waves of nightmares at bay. North was literally butchering one fearling after another, avoiding almost every attack with the speed of a much younger man. Sandy's whips grabbed the fearlings, banging them against each other, hitting several of them at a time, covering a very large area.

Soon enough most of the nightmares were defeated and they could see Pitch knealing down next to an unconscious Gaia. There was no sign of the others, but that was a good thing, maybe they were having ice cream at the workshop after all. They looked at each other, smiling. They were all panting, exhausted. They all had bloody hoof marks all over their bodies. But maybe it was over after all. Maybe they just had to defeat Pitch and take Mother Nature to the workshop to end this nightmare.

Or maybe not. Their little hopeful happiness was short lived, as Seraphina's eyes fluttered open, more terrifying than ever.


	23. Wrath

**Sorry about the wait. Action is not my favorite thing to write but it's a necessity, isn't it? Besides, this one is a bit longer than usual.**

**Remember I said I was back with a bang? Well, here's the bang...**

**But first... Oh my MiM 219 reviews! This is incredible! Thanks you so much to all of you following and favoriting this story and specially to these lovely people for reviewing the last two chapters: Everlak-forever12, Faleno (if I did that, we couldn't have a third part, could we? ;) sorry about North, I do get carried away), Goldie (I hope your sister survived the treadmill incident), OinkyThePiggy (thanks, I love all your reviews, you're the best), xXMe Against The WorldXx (welcome to this craziness), mlequithinh (this chapter is for you. Thanks for the awesome advice, I hope this won't dissapoint), Krystal and Shawna, Obsie, TheAngeloFlego (thanks for your constant support), Guess, Revenge of the Red Pen, AGR2016 (hey, are you the Alex who always reviewed as guess by any chance?) and creatorX33. Wow, no wonder there are so many reviews :D**

* * *

"No way!" snarled Jack decisively.

"I don't like it either, but it's the only way, snowflake" replied Bunny, his arms folded on his chest.

"I am not doing that to the others! To Tooth! Do you have any idea what she would feel...!" Jack retorted, almost yelling. He was getting more agitated as the conversation progressed.

"I do have a pretty good idea, mate" the pooka interjected, looking at Gretchen. He was thinking about that morning, when he was running through a herd of fearlings, terrified that he wouldn't catch her on time. Or just a few minutes earlier, when he knew he wouldn't be able to stop Gaia from killing her. "But I know they can take it and there's no way I'm risking loosing you for real. You're part of our family; and we need you to get Gaia back."

"Sorry, handsome, but it's the only way to keep you safe. It's our best shot" added the Groundhog.

"You're in too much pain, Frostbite. I'm worried about you even as it is. We can't let her see you or you'll be toast." said Bunny, putting his hand on Jack's shoulder.

The pooka didn't like it either. He knew Tooth too well and he expected her to either breakdown or try to kill Gaia. But it was Jack's only hope. He tapped the ground with his foot, creating a tunnel to Burgess.

"This better work" rasped the winter spirit between his teeth, as the wind carried him down the hole, followed by Aster and Gretchen.

* * *

Pitch could almost taste it. Another dark age, even bigger than before. The power he would wield! Even grown ups would sense his presence! He could feel it, it was all starting. The fear. The few survivors would be at his mercy and he wouldn't be invisible ever again. Most of his nightmares were finished, but it didn't matter. His secret weapon, his ally, his dear daughter was in full throttle. She alone could handle the Guardians and he would finally get his revenge. He would finally get everything he ever wanted, and most of all, he would always have Sera, he wouldn't be alone ever again. The useless Guardians would regret hurting his child. Yes... the Boogeyman looked up at the moon smiling maliciously. There was nothing MiM could do to stop him now.

Seraphina was hurt and furious. She couldn't comprehend why Gretchen had won, but she certainly was not about to let it happen again. She frantically looked around for her little friend. She wanted to put her in her place, to make her pay for what she had done, but the Groundhog was nowhere to be found, she must have been in one of her stupid tunnels. She was protected in there by some sort of pooka magic that stopped Mother Nature from entering them uninvited. Oh well, her friends would have to face her wrath. Maybe this would be better. Gretchen would find them all dead when she comes out. She couldn't hide forever.

The three Guardians stood closer together as they watched Gaia's terrifying yellow eyes roll in their sockets, her arms obviously giving instructions to the elements. They unconsciously moved closer to each other. They had a pretty good idea of what was coming at them and their first instinct was to stay together, to give each other strength.

The sky roared with thunder as the storm intensified, clouding their senses once more. Lightening attacked the three Guardians, forcing them to take evasive action, to break their little circle. 'Divide and conquer' though Seraphina with an evil smile, as the ground beneath the Guardian's began shaking and cracking, making in impossible for North to stay on his feet.

Tooth gasped as she saw their leader tumbling and falling on the ground once and again in spite his best efforts. She flew to him as fast as she could but it was almost impossible for her wings to conquer the raging winds. And then, the worst happened. The earth beneath North's legs cracked open into an abyss and the Guardian of Wonder couldn't help but falling in.

"Sandy, we have to help North!" screamed the fairy, traveling at top speed towards North yet not moving fast enough. She wasn't sure that the Sandman could even hear her. She wasn't sure that Sandy himself wasn't in need of help.

When she got to the edge of the abyss, Tooth smiled, relieved. There it was, the big Russian man holding the side of the cliff with his fingertips.

"Toothie! Where have you been?" asked North smiling.

"Oh, you know, doing my make up" she smiled as she held him in her arms.

"Where's Sandy?" asked North, looking around.

"I don't know, I can't see him anywhere!" she replied panicking. "Sandy!" she screamed, frantically. She was beginning to worry about their friend.

"Sandy!" North joined in, searching their surroundings for any sign of gold.

Sera looked at her father and their terrifying laughter could be heard amidst the chaos. Finally the Boogeyman could taste the Guardian's fear. Both Tooth and North were so scared that his fearlings could actually take them, but that was not the fate he wanted for them. Pitch wanted to get rid of the Guardians once and for all. He didn't want to leave them the possibility to escape.

Sandy opened his eyes. He was lying on the pavement and he could feel a little drip of golden sand coming from the side of his head. He had been hit by debris and plummeted unconscious to the ground. He was disoriented, the world around him spinning, the ground shaking under his body. He tried to look around but the rain and the wind made it impossible for him to see more than a couple of meters away. He heard Pitch's and his daughter's laughter and he immediately thought the worst, but he soon heaved a sight of relieve as Tooth's muffled yells reached him. He hovered above the pavement, still dizzy, looking for the direction where his friend's voice had come from. But the night was black and the storm was thick and there was no trace of Tooth's colorful plumage anywhere. His sand fireworks adorned the sky and he could see North and the fairy flying toward him with difficulty. But the light also alerted Gaia of his location. Lightening stroked all around him and it was all he could do trying to avoid getting hit, unable to join his friends.

Tooth's wings were barely strong enough to battle the storm as it was and her eyes widened as the biggest tornado she has ever seen in her whole existence - and that was a really long time- was traveling in their direction.

"Tooth! We need to take cover! Over here!" Instructed North, pointing at one of the few buildings still standing.

The edifice was only about five feet away, but the wind was pulling her in the opposite direction, making it almost impossible for Tooth to advance fast enough and she was sure they were not going to make it. It didn't help that she too was trying to avoid the lightening army falling from the sky. And just when she was starting to feel that all was lost, a sand whip wrapped around her waist, pulling them closer to the building. She smiled at Sandy, but she wasn't sure he could see her in the darkness.

North and Tooth entered the structure just in time. The russian hugged one of the columns, with the fairy pinned to it. He was afraid that being so light she would still be at the mercy of the elements. She was a bird after all, her body was designed to fly with the wind. He could feel her tiny frame trembling, wether from fear or exhaustion he didn't know, but when his eyes questioned hers she gifted him the tiniest of smiles.

"It will be OK" North said loudly enough so she could hear amidst the chaos, holding both the girl and the concrete with all the strength he had as the tornado attacked the building with all its might.

He feared that the structure wouldn't hold, that the building would not withstand both the force of the earthquake and the wind, but he knew they had a better chance of surviving the concrete collapsing over their heads than falling into the eye of Seraphina's twister. The Guardian of wonder breathed a sight of relieved. The edifice seemed to be holding on. But just when the two Guardians thought they were safe, Mother Nature's voice resonated through the walls.

"Excactly where I wanted you..."

And just like that, the structure was engulfed by flames.

* * *

Sandy pulled the other two to safety, but he almost got hit by lightening in the process and he scrambled around, the strong wind pulling him closer and closer to the eye of the tornado. Even an immortal wouldn't survive that. His whips wrapped around the nearby trees and he was trying to pull himself to safety, but the trees themselves were being pulled of the ground by the strong winds. And just when he was loosing hope, hope itself came to the rescue. Two furry grey paws grabbed the golden man's legs, pulling him inside the safety of a rabbit hole

"Where did he go?!" asked Pitch.

"I can't see him. The pookas are here." replied his daughter, a smile on her face. Finally she could have a go at Gretchen.

* * *

**Please keep the reviews coming. I'm shamelessly addicted :)**


	24. The Plan

**I just realized that I never thanked Faleno for being the 200th reviewer. I have no clue how I could forget that! Congratulations! I'm sending Jack to deliver your present tonight ;)**

**We have a lot of drama and a lot of angst in this chapter. Sorry. I just couldn't imagine the Guardians reacting any other way to Gretchen's plan. Warning, this is REALLY angsty.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you know I love you. Keep them coming! The greedy person in me** ******wonders if we can make it to 300 :)**

* * *

"Sandy, are you OK?" asked Bunny. He couldn't help noticing that his friend was bleeding.

The Sandman nodded. Then Jack's face appeared over his head followed by a question mark. The pooka pretended that he didn't see it and he pulled Sandy by his arm further down the tunnel.

"This is your stop, mate. Gotta help the others!" said Aster pushing the golden man out. He was safe, away from the tornado's path.

Bunny came out from another hole, inside the building where the other Guardians were trapped. His sense of smell was useless amidst the smoke but his sharp ears could hear them coughing on the third floor. He used the explosive googies to break the ceiling and jumped to the upper level.

North and Tooth were trapped. The building seemed to have caught on fire from the outside in, the circle of flames around them blocking all the exits. The heat was intense and the smoke was impairing their vision, making it hard to breathe.

"North?" asked Tooth, coughing.

The Russian man ignored her. He would find a way out. He would get Tooth out of there if it was the last thing he did. He looked in every direction, fearlessly getting closer to the flames than anyone else would, but there didn't seem to be a way out. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders but he didn't meet her gaze, as his eyes kept searching the room, hoping that he could still find a way.

"North, Tooth!" called a familiar voice with an unmistakable accent. North's face lit up "I need you to stay put. Don't move an inch. Both of you."

"OK" replied North.

As soon as he said it, a colorful explosion destroyed the floor in front of them. The pooka jumped out from the multi-color smoke.

"This way! Quick! Gretchen won't be able to buy us much time!" said Bunny, guiding them back to his tunnel.

* * *

"Leave them alone, Gaia!" said Gretchen's voice. There was no sign of the Groundhog, but her voice seemed to be everywhere, carried by the wind and the trees.

"Very impressive Gretchen... Do you really think you can beat me at my own game? Do you really think you can stop the ground from cracking under that building?" as soon as Seraphina said the words, the structure started shaking dangerously.

"Considering I just did... then yeah!" replied the half pooka.

"You really should have killed me when you had the chance." added Seraphina and the building collapsed, causing Gretchen to gasp.

The three Guardians were still on the second floor when the ground split and the whole edifice imploded. They jumped into the tunnel, which closed as soon as they were all inside. They were hit by the fallen debris but they were mostly unscathed.

"You guys OK?" asked Bunny panting, helping Tooth get up. She had a deep, bloody wound on her right cheek.

"I'm fine" she replied. "Where's Jack?"

"North, are you alright?" asked the pooka, turning away from Tooth.

"Fine" replied North, eying him suspiciously.

"Bunny! I asked you a question! Where is Jack!" Tooth spoke really fast, her voice filled with panic.

"This way!" said Aster, leading them down the tunnel.

Tooth's heart moved to her throat as she ran through the tunnel. Jack must have been really badly injured if Bunny didn't dare telling her. She wondered what she would find at the end of that tunnel and she fought back the tears prickling her eyes. She was about to see her winter boy and that was all that mattered. Whatever it was he would heal, spirits always did. And she would be by his side. Everything would be fine as long as they were together.

"Bunny?" asked North. He also wanted to question the other Guardian about Jack's condition. What could be so terrible that Bunny wouldn't tell them? Spirits healed completely from any injury, unless of course they... was Jack dead? " Bunny... is Jack...?"

"This is you, guys!" said Bunny, literally pushing them out of the tunnel.

North an Tooth found themselves out in the open. They could see Gaia and Pitch in front of them and they could see Sandy to their right, a few meters away.

Bunny and Gretchen came out from their tunnel together, a few meters to the other's left. North figured their formation was not a coincidence and he hoped that Bunny had a plan.

"Bunny... where is Jack?" asked Tooth desperate, realizing that everyone was where they were supposed to be, except for the Guardian of Fun.

"Yes, Bunny, where is Jack?" asked Pitch with hopeful malice.

Bunny look down at the ground. He was a horrible liar, and he really didn't want to see Tooth's face when she heard that her winter boy was dead. Taking away hope was really not his thing.

"He was badly injured..." said Gretchen. Thinking about Jack's hands and legs gave her expression realism. "We tried taking him to the snow..." she continued, dropping her gaze. She didn't want to take the risk of lying in front of Gaia because she knew that her friend would know, so she stopped there and let the others fill in the blanks.

"Jack is..." North couldn't finish the sentence. Saying it out loud would make it real. And Jack was like the son he never had...

Sandy's sand somehow lost its shine. His golden color got dull as his eyes welled up. Jack was his best friend and now he was gone. Guilt rushed over the Sandman. He should have tried to help the winter spirit, he should have risked himself. Jack would've done it...

Tooth felt a dark, heavy cloud covering her body. It couldn't be. She was still alive. How could she still be here if Jack wasn't?! How could the world exist without him?! Her eyes were hurting, but they were dry, the tears just wouldn't fall. She was numbed. She didn't realized when her wings stopped flapping and her feet touched the ground for the fist time in months.

"Such a terrible way to die for a winter spirit." the Boogeyman smiled as if he had won the lottery.

That did it. Something in Tooth snapped. She was blinded by rage and grief. She didn't care about anything anymore, not even her own life. The only thing that mattered was killing Gaia. She needed to die for taking Jack. She needed to die to erase that evil smile from Pitch's face. If she was to suffer, he would suffer too. She grabbed what was left of a street light from the pavement. The broken metal was sharp and thick, the perfect weapon. She held it in her hand for a few seconds, her blood boiling, her mind planning her next move. But as soon as her wings lifted her off the ground, North grabbed her arm, harder than it was necessary, pulling her towards him.

"He would want you to live" he rasped in her ear. Unlike his usual jolly voice, this one was dangerously rough, the thick accent making it sound even more menacing. He would not loose two Guardians in one night. He would not loose two loved ones in one night.

"She needs to die" she growled so low that only North could hear her.

"Maybe, but not out of revenge. Not at the expense of your life." her leader rasped again decisively.

* * *

**I know, I know, I'm sorry. We'll kick some bum again next chapter and we'll have some fluff to compensate. I'll see if I can throw in some humour too.**


	25. Grief

**Sorry, I know I've been away since forever. I'm down with the flu and I really hate action scenes and it's too hard to think when your nose is blockEd and baby is crying.**

**thanks to all for your reviews, you are amazing and sorry in advance for yet another cliffy (can't help it, I just love them!)**

* * *

"Good girl..." said Seraphina, smiling "don't worry little fairy, the pain will stop very soon." as soon she finished talking the sky roared again.

Lightning hit just between North and Tooth and the former had to let go of the fairy's arm, as the ground beneath his feet started shaking and cracking again. The Russian Guardian looked around. The ground wasn't shaking around Pitch, and maybe killing him would also bring Gaia back. But it wasn't going to be easy to get to the Boogeyman. 'Think, think, think!'

North didn't want to have to kill Mother Nature. He understood that she was an innocent victim of Pitch's scheme, and that the world had a better chance of survival with her help than without it. But he was willing to kill her for the greater good, if there was no other choice. He definitely didn't want her to die from Tooth's innocent, unstained hands. He had killed people back in the day, when he was a thief. It was not something he was very proud of. 'Bad people' he told himself like a mantra, as he usually did every time he found himself victim of the memories, but Gaia's voice interrupted his train of thoughts.

"But first..." said Mother Nature, turning around to face Bunny and Gretchen.

The pookas expected it. The Groundhog knew that Seraphina would try to go after her. Aster held her hand both to reassure her and to signal that it was time. They just had to hold on. They just had to trust Sandy. Gretchen's paw hit the ground ever so slightly. It was time to bring handsome into this game.

A small hole opened right underneath Sandy, and a wooden stick poked his leg. The sand man looked down. Good thing he was silent or he would have squeaked like Tooth. He was out of himself, pleasantly surprised to see his best friend very much alive, hiding underground. Images started flying over his head but they stopped suddenly when Jack placed his index finger on his own lips to quiet him down. It was not the gesture what froze Sandy. It was the raw skin in Jack's hand, the angry blisters, the realization that his friend was badly injured. He understood why Bunny was hiding the winter boy.

"Sand" whispered the hidden hellion, and the golden man smiled in understanding, as a very thin thread of gold flowed down the rabbit hole, invisible, even for Gaia, amidst the fog and the rain.

Jack wrapped his burnt fingers around the sand string, combining their powers through it. He trusted that Sandy knew they only had one shot at this.

* * *

Gaia was determined to wipe out Gretchen. The pookas tried to run, but there was no safe ground to step on, as a furious earthquake ravaged Burgess. The Groundhog clung to Aster's hand as tears of pain clouded her vision, her rib cage vibrating with the ground beneath, putting pressure on her broken bone. But they just had to keep moving, as the lightning soldiers kept striking everywhere and a huge tornado was closing in on them.

And then they saw it. Tooth. She was flying towards Gaia, the thick metal still in her hand, her wings fiercely battling the strong winds, ignoring the huge pieces of ice falling from the sky, a fearless expression in her face. But just as she thought she was getting close to Mother Nature, the woman smiled maliciously without turning her head to see her, just as the strong wind pushed Tooth against the ruins of a train station, lightning hitting her fallen body.

"Tooth!" screamed the pooka as his friend hit the ground.

Tooth body was scratched and bruised but she got up with difficulty, grabbed her weapon again, and launched herself towards Seraphina once more.

"Is she bloody trying to kill herself?!" asked Aster. Gretchen gasped.

"She just may be..." she replied, her eyes wide at the realization that Tooth may just have lost hope.

"Bloody Hell!" said Bunny, letting the Geoundhog's hand go and hopping towards the fairy.

* * *

Not being as agile as the pookas, North was struggling to stay on his feet, a sight that the Boogeyman seemed to be enjoying a little too much.

"You don't look very imposing now, North. What is it? Are you under the weather?" asked Pitch smiling.

North looked at him menacingly. Pitch should have been scared. He was the one responsible for Jack's death and the Russian man would make sure he paid for it. Just on queue, he heard the familiar jingles approaching

"Moi deti! Just on time!" the Guardian said smiling, as he grabbed on to the side of the black wooden sleigh and assumed his position at the reins.

To the others, flying under these conditions was madness. But North just loved madness. He was in his element. The sheer challenge of keeping the sleigh in the air was exhilarating, taking his head of the pain, as he expertly guided his reindeers through the chaos. He flew towards Pitch, avoiding the hail and lightening, outsmarting the wind as the sleight pirouetted in the black sky, getting closer and closer to his enemy, erasing the sickening smile from his face as he jumped off the sleigh to stand, sabers ready, in front of the Boogeyman.

"Do I look imposing now, Pitch?" North rasped dangerously, all of his pain and anger focused on the Nightmare King.

The Boogeyman's smile faltered, but he wielded two black sand swords. He didn't need Sera, he would have the pleasure of finishing North himself. He couldn't say he hadn't been waiting for this moment for centuries. Yellow eyes pierced the Russian's blue ones as their blades collided loudly.

Pitch moved extremely fast averting North's attacks in an almost cartoonish fashion, as if his body was not completely solid. Maybe his being was more linked to the black sand than the Guardians thought. But the Guardian was an expert swordsman, years of experience on his back and his movements, albeit slower were precise and calculated. When the Boogeyman thought he was winning, he was really loosing, as the Russian man studied his moves, the places he left vulnerable in his attacks. North was mostly defending himself, waiting like a big cat hunting, until Pitch gave him the opportunity he was looking for.

* * *

Bunny ran with everything he had, his claws clinging to the shaking ground as a four wheel drive vehicle, thick hail continuously hitting his face and body. He tackled Tooth in mid air before she could get close to Gaia once more, and they both plummeted to the pavement, the fairy landing on her back, a few inches away from him, with him landing on his stomach.

A confused Tooth tried to get up from the floor, but an angry Aster pushed her back down.

"Have you lost your mind?! Are you bloody trying to kill yourself?!" he yelled, his nose was almost touching her, menacing, adrenaline rushing through his body.

"Of course I'm not trying to kill myself! I'm trying to kill her!" she retorted, angrily pointing at Gaia.

"You'll die before you even touch her! And we need her! Tooth, he's not..." Bunny started, before he heard it: the sharp, high, painful screech.

"Gretchen!" he breathed, all the color draining from the inside of his ears.

* * *

**North yells "my children!" Unless google translate let me down**


	26. Tornado

**Thank you to everyone for putting up with me and my flu chapter in the middle of the climax. Sorry about that. Hopefully this longer chapter has enough excitement and fluff to compensate.**

**Thanks to Oinky (yeah, I'm calling you that), Krystal and Shawna, Everlak-forever12, Obsie, Goldie, creatorX33, Faleno and Revenge of the Red Pen, not only for your latest reviews for your constant support. Love you :3**

* * *

"Is she bloody trying to kill herself?!" asked Aster. Gretchen gasped.

"She just may be..." she replied, her eyes wide at the realization that Tooth may just have lost hope.

"Bloody Hell!" said Bunny.

Gretchen let go of his hand. She was scared that her little plan had backfired, that someone would get hurt because of her. She kept running, avoiding Gaia's attack, but kept looking towards Bunny from the corner of her eye, making sure he got to Tooth on time.

The force of the tornado had taken the trees off the ground, so magic was not an option, and without Bunny's hand forcing her to run faster, leading her... Thick hail was hitting her face and body and the pain on her side intensified. She could feel the wind pulling her backwards, the tornado closing in on her. That's when she made a bad call. She stopped for a fraction of a second, trying to open a tunnel to escape from. She barely had time to hear Gaia's musical laugh before the wind lifted up a chunk of a concrete wall and hit her on her injured side. The pain. She collapsed on the ground, tears falling uncontrollably, clouding her vision. She could hear herself screaming, an alien high-pitched sound escaping from her lips without her consent. She saw the yellow eyes shinning with malice through her teary olive ones.

"Gaia... we're family!" Gretchen whispered.

"You should have though about that earlier..." replied a silky smooth, evil voice, not unlike Pitch's.

"I did! I saved you from the flames!" the groundhog meant to scream, but she barely managed to whisper loudly. Talking hurt. Breathing hurt.

Seraphina just smiled, as the tornado moved closer and closer to Gretchen. She tried to put up a fight, tried to drag herself away from there, her black claws scratching the shaking ground as she tried to move forward, causing Mother Nature to laugh louder as the twister swept the Groundhog away.

Gretchen found herself spinning uncontrollably, getting hit left and right by huge objects she couldn't quite identify. Being inside of the tornado was like being in another world, a world of death and destruction where no one can hear you scream. She saw a car coming towards her and she closed her eyes. She wished she would have told Bunny the she loved him.

* * *

Bunny's ears twitched with the piercing noise. His head turned to see Gretchen lying on the floor, the tornado getting dangerously close to her limp body.

"No..." he whispered, regret washing over him. He should have never let go of her hand.

Bunny ran with Tooth flying by his side. She wanted to get to Gaia even more now, it was the only way to save Gretchen. She didn't want Bunny to go through the pain she was feeling.

Aster couldn't feel the hail or the pieces of concrete hitting his face and body as he got closer to the eye of the twister. He wasn't even aware of the fairy flying next to him. All that mattered was Gretchen. But he was too late. She was already inside the twister, a car spinning dangerously close to her. It was only a matter of time before she got hit, it was only a matter of time before she broke her neck. He was considering getting inside the tornado with her. He wasn't sure how that would help her, but he wasn't about to sit down and watch her die and he knew that trying to take down Gaia was pointless. And then he saw it, the golden sand flying in the sky, entering the tornado, wrapping the Groundhog in a protective cocoon.

"Good on ya, Sandy!" said Bunny to himself, he knew Sandy couldn't hear him in the distance.

The Sandman tried with all his might to pull Gretchen out of the tornado to no avail. The wind was just too strong. But at least his sand would keep her safe as she spun around.

* * *

"I definitely thought you would be more of a challenge..." said Pitch, laughing. His sharp, black sand blades colliding with North's.

Of course the Boogeyman didn't fight fair. His nightmares were surrounding North, attacking him, distracting him, but they were only really dangerous if one was afraid. And the russian had never been afraid of Pitch in his life.

"I may still surprise you..." replied the Guardian smiling.

The Nightmare King smiled confidently, as he charged towards North with all his power, his sword cutting through one of the Guardian's like a hot knife through butter. But his smile faltered as he felt the cold metal piercing his skin. The Russian man's blade went through the left side of his chest and he screamed in agony as the sharp pain hit him.

Pitch was on the ground, his clothes stained by the black sand pouring from his wound. North moved closer to him, more than ready to give him the final blow. For Jack. For the Earth. For all the innocent people who had died because of him.

But just as he lifted his sword in the air, the wind swept him away, as an angry Seraphina turned around to face him.

* * *

Sandy heard Pitch scream and he knew that this was his golden opportunity. The second Mother Nature turned around, a sand bow and arrow appeared in his hands and the Sandman wasted no time in shooting Seraphina on the back.

The effect was instantaneous. Golden sand replaced the black where the arrow hit and waves of gold kept spreading rapidly through her body, until there was no sign of black. The golden sand dissipated to reveal Gaia's beautiful pale skin once more.

Tooth caught an unconscious Mother Nature before she hit the ground. There was no point in her stupid revenge now. Gaia was back and she was the world's only hope.

Sandy smiled, satisfied that the arrow had worked. He looked around to see North laying on the pavement, a Nightmare Mare circling his inert body. He flew to his aid as fast as he could, but when he got there, both Pitch and the black sand horse disappeared into the shadows. The Boogeyman knew Sandy was too much of a challenge in his current state.

As soon as Gaia's transformation begun, everything stopped: the rain, the earthquake, the tornado. The clouds gave way to the blazing sun, revealing that it was morning.

* * *

Gretchen didn't even noticed that she was falling when she fell two warm, strong, familiar arms catching her.

"G'day gorgeous!" said Bunny. He was thrilled. Gaia was back and everyone was safe. _Gretchen_ was safe.

The Groundhog just buried her head in his shoulder, her body trembling from head to toe. Her breathing was hard and irregular.

"Hey, it's alright. You're OK now. It's over. Gaia is back. Everyone is safe" Bunny whispered in her ear.

"Gaia?" she asked, with a tiny smile.

"Right over there, Love" he replied, gently putting her down, her arms still clinging to his neck.

Her legs were unsteady, like a calf walking for the first time. Bunny chuckled and held her closer to his body as they both made their way towards Tooth and Mother Nature, Gretchen holding her injured side as she walked, breathing with difficulty.

"You OK?" asked Bunny, noticing that the Groundhog was _not_ OK.

"I'm fine." she replied. Of course she would say she was fine. Aster wondered why he even bothered asking.

* * *

The Guardian of Memories was kneeling on the floor, holding Gaia's head. Her eyes were lost somewhere, in a world where Jack still existed, in a world where the nightmare was over and he wrapped her in his cold arms again, relieving the pain on her chest that was consuming her. She wished she could cry, but her eyes were stubbornly dry, as if they didn't want to accept that her winter boy was gone.

As the pookas approached the fairy, Bunny noticed Tooth's face.

"Gretchen, aren't we forgetting something?" he asked.

"Oh... of... course!" she panted, tapping the ground with her foot, opening a hole big enough for Jack to come out.

Tooth felt the familiar cold breeze in her face and she closed her eyes. She knew it was her mind playing tricks, but she would savor it regardless.

"Tooth..." called Jack shyly.

The voice sounded too real to be inside her head so she opened her eyes. He was really hovering there, smiling that lopsided grin of his. Tooth was frozen for a moment, a sea of emotions rushing through her. Relief that he was alive. Happiness that it was all over. Anger that he would put her through that Hell. She flew towards the hellion at top speed and Jack's smile faltered when he saw the expression on her face.

"You! How could you...?! Do you have any idea...?!" she screamed flaming away.

Bunny leaped between Jack and Tooth, wrapping the fairy in his arms.

"Tooth, you can't! He's injured, Love, just look at him!" said Aster as he received the punches and scratches that were obviously meant for Jack. "Besides, I put him up to this. We had to keep him safe."

Tooth stopped for a moment and looked at her winter boy. Her eyes trailed from his apologetic eyes to his shoulder, where an injured hand held his staff. Tenderness returned to her eyes when she saw the extent of his injuries and she imagined the pain he would be in, yet he was standing there, smiling at her.

Jack flew next to them and Bunny let the fairy go.

"All yours, Snow White" said the pooka smiling and hooping away to give them some privacy.

Tooth buried her face on the cold hoodie, the tears her eyes were holding back finally flowing and she sobbed in the familiar cold embrace, the pain on her chest subsiding.

"I'm so sorry, Toothie. I didn't want to..." started the winter boy, but he settled for kissing the top of her head.

Two big arms joined them in a group hug, startling Jack.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, _son_!" said North's familiar jolly voice.

"I won't... _Dad_" replied the hellion smiling before the Russian crushed them in a bear hug.

Jack couldn't help but being thrilled. He sensed that the Guardians cared about him, but after three hundred years of being alone and forgotten he had his reservations. It felt amazing to know that they did love him, that he was part of the family and that they would miss him if he was gone, not that he was planning on going anywhere anytime soon. He felt three hundred years of insecurities melting away in one hug.

Sandy was smiling. He was about to join North when Bunny approached him.

"Thank you" said the pooka looking over at Gretchen, who was kneeling down stroking Gaia's hair.

Sandy moved his hand in a dismissive way. He looked at Bunny and showed him the images of Pitch and his Nightmare.

"We better get him while he is weak."


	27. Bush Week

**Oh my Goodness! Over 250 reviews and counting! This. Is. AMAZING!**

**Thank you so much everyone, I know most of you are busy with school and it means the world to me that you still take time to send me a shot out. You're absolutely awesome ;)**

**Faleno, that's so sweet of you to offer, thank you so much :)**

**I do have the lovely Avatar Kyoshi working on a cover for this story, but if you'd like to make a cover for another one of my stories I would be thrilled! The email address is believeitornotimamom outlook. com (remove the spaces, of course)**

**Looking forward to seeing your pics!**

* * *

North, Tooth and Jack were still hugging. The fairy had stopped sobbing but she was still clinging to the blue hoodie for dear life.

"Sorry to interrupt this family gathering, but we still have to get to Pitch before he gets away. C'mon Frostbite, I'm taking Gretchen to the yetis, you should come too." said Bunny.

"No. I'm coming with you guys to get Pitch." said Jack decisively.

Bunny rubbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. There was no way this kid was such a drongo.

"Listen, Snowflake, I did not risk my bloody life to save your butt so you would get yourself killed, ya grommet!" he snarled.

"Pitch is a coward. If you do find him, he'll have a plan. He's got the Algea's power now. And I'm the only one..." retorted Jack.

"So your brilliant plan is to bring in the _other Jack! _You can't even hold your bloody staff properly!" interjected Aster.

"Of course I can hold my..." started Jack, but the Pooka easily slapped his staff out of his hands before he could finish.

The wooden stick fell loudly on the ground, rolling over a few times before it stopped a few feet away from them. Tooth caught Jack in her arms before his burnt feet touched the pavement. All the Guardians stared at Bunny, all but Jack, who actually glared at him.

"You deal with your _son_. I'll be right back" said Bunny to North before walking towards Gaia and Gretchen. 'Stupid kid' he thought to himself.

* * *

Gretchen was kneeling on the ground with her friend's head on her knees. She was softly stroking the long, silky black hair, enjoying the flowery smell emanating from it, the familiar smell of home. Her stomach flipped when she noticed the angry burns around Gaia's arms and neck, and although she knew they were not as bad as handsome's, she just felt guilty for hurting her sister.

"Hey, Love..." said a very familiar voice.

She always hated it when he called her 'Love'. She thought it was derogative and sexist. Now... now it was the sweetest word in the world. It made her smile. So much had changed in two days.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She... seems fine. I... hope she... comes around soon." replied the Groundhog, panting.

"C'mon, I'm taking you both to the workshop. The yetis are great medics..." said Bunny.

"We can't... go anywhere. When she wakes up... she'll be able to... do more from here. We don't have... time to waste... she may need my... help!" offered Gretchen.

Aster massaged the bridge of his nose again. Yeap, he was definitely getting a headache. It was drongo's day today.

"You can barely breath!" he barked. His patience was running very thin.

"She'll just... need magic" she replied. "I'll be... safe with her" she added, knowing his anger was just concealing concern over her safety.

"Yeah, when she bloody wakes up!" he snarled.

"If you help me... move her... into the forest... I can easily... protect us both... the trees..." she suggested.

Bunny thought for a second. He had learned over four hundred rather painful years, that arguing with Gretchen was absolutely pointless. They had already wasted too much time and Pitch was certainly getting away.

"OK" he said between his teeth picking Gaia up. He stretched his hand out to help the Groundhog up, before opening a tunnel with his paw.

He was quiet. Very quiet. He still wasn't sure this was a good idea. They came out in the heart of the forest, where it was thick with trees. He wanted Gretchen to have the best fighting chance she could, just in case.

Aster gently laid Mother Nature on the ground and helped Gretchen sit down next to her friend. He kneeled down in front of her, caressing her cheek with his hand.

"Just please be careful. If you find any trouble, just call me and I'll be here in two seconds." he said, his eyes filled with concern.

"I will. We'll be fine." she smiled.

His hand moved from her cheek to her neck, too quickly for Gretchen to react. He pulled her close to him and pressed his lips hard on hers, trying to convey with a kiss what he hadn't said with word: that he loved her. Their lips moved in perfect synch, as if they had been dancing this dance forever. She felt her body melting under his touch, panting for breath as he kissed her senseless.

He noticed she couldn't breathe and pulled away, kissing her forehead.

"Sorry, Love" he said, his lips still against her skin, his warm breath sending chills down her spine. She was gasping for air like a fish out of water.

"Gretchen..." he continued, looking into her olive eyes, realizing that the kiss just wouldn't cut it "Gretchen... I love you. I have loved you for a very long time now."

She smiled. He, Bunnymund, loved her. She had dreamt about this moment since the first time she saw him. She gasped for air louder, trying to fill her lungs to say the words that were stuck on her chest, but he kissed her cheek and walked away, disappearing down a rabbit hole. He didn't need to hear her saying what he already knew. He didn't want her to say it because he had already said it, but because she wanted to. When the tunnel entrance closed, instead of leaving behind his usual daisy, a beautiful, fragrant red rose appeared.

* * *

Bunny came out of the tunnel to join the other Guardians.

"Bunny! You finally here! Let us go!" said North.

"Jack is coming with us" added Tooth shyly.

"Of course he is!" replied Bunny sarcastically. "Drongo's day should be a holiday! Bloody bush week! I just left the girls alone in the middle of the forest. One of them is injured and the other one is unconscious and Pitch is around probably trying to get his daughter back..." he kept ranting, but he also kept walking, looking around for the Boogeyman. The rest of the Guardians followed. They were not sure what he was going on about, but something told them it was better to remain silent.

* * *

Mother Nature opened her eyes suddenly, startling her friend. Brown eyes stared at the green ones with gratitude and then terror before they closed again. Gaia's body hovered above the Groundhog's, her arms moving all over the place, like an orchestra director to a heavy metal song. Gretchen knew what her sister was doing. She felt the earth's pain. She was trying to reverse the chaos and there was no time to loose.

"Gretchen!" she called after a couple of minutes.

"Right here, sis!" answered the Groundhog.

"He's doing something stupid! Don't let Frost kill him!" continued Gaia, locking eyes with her friend for a moment.

"On it!" said Gretchen after a second, getting up with difficulty.

"Gretchen..." Mother Nature called again "thank you. For bringing me back. Be careful."

"It was nothing. Don't worry" Gretchen smiled, before she disappeared down a tunnel. The trees told her where to find the Guardians.

* * *

Bunny's ears twitched and all the Guardians turned around suddenly, ready to attack.

"Gretchen! Bloody Hell! We almost killed you!" said Aster.

To his surprise, the Groundhog walked into Jack's arms, grabbing two fistfuls of his hoodie.

"You mustn't... kill him..." she panted, looking straight into the blue eyes.

"What are you talking about? I'm not going to kill anyone!" laughed Jack.

"You say that now... but when... The Hulk shows up..." she pulled him closer "She'll come... after you. You can't... kill him..." she continued.

The Guardians turned around to look at Bunny after he gasped loudly. He understood what Gretchen was trying to say.

"She said he... was doing something... stupid. I think... he's going after your family." the Groundhog finished.

"Jamie..." Tooth breathed.

"Sophie" Bunny whispered.

"Mandy..." rasped Jack between his teeth.

* * *

**I thought Bunny should be even more Aussie when he was angry ;)**


	28. The Nightmare King

**I'm a sad girl because I just realized we're reaching the end of our story. Only 3 or 4 chapter to go :(**

**I'd like to ask... Could we please make it to 300 reviews? We're so close that just a couple of extra reviews per chapter would make it. Please, pretty please? It would mean a lot!**

**faleno, I don't know, whatever your muse tells you to do. You could do some Jack and Tooth or draw the Algea or something. Drawing is not my thing at all, so I'll leave it to you. Whatever you create will be amazing, I'm sure. Thanks a lot for this ;) if you want just send me an email and we'll discuss some ideas.**

* * *

The sun shone through the old theater's windows as the clouds suddenly cleared.

"It's over!" said a woman.

"We're going to make it!" celebrated a man, hugging his pregnant wife.

Strangers hugged each other, hope filling their hearts as the warm rays of light touched their faces. It wasn't the end of the world after all.

The doors of the improvised shelter opened and most of the men and some of the women stepped outside, assessing the damage. The sun was out, the storm was over, but what used to be a lively town was now reduce to debris. Only a handful of ruined buildings were still standing. Absolutely every house had been taken by the tornado.

Pitch was inside the theater, hiding from the uncomfortable sunlight. It didn't really hurt him, but he did prefer to stay away from it. Besides, he had business to attend to inside. He was invisible to adults, of course, and thanks to that insolent Frost he was invisible to all the children as well. But for the first time, being invisible was an advantage. He couldn't touch any of them, of course. But his nightmares could. He just had to sit down and wait, wait until her mind played her, wait until fear pierced her hope just enough for his fearlings to take her. He knew it would happen. Times were really tough for the humans.

It was not the children he wanted. Of course not. Their hearts were full of hope and wonder. He could hear the little voices thanking the stupid Guardians for the sunlight. No... it was not the kids he wanted. Too risky to take a kid, knowing that if they stopped fearing they could transform his black sand to gold with a single touch.

He had studied the Guardian of Fun for a long time. He had seen the winter spirit taking comfort in her arms, smiling in her presence, wearing her gifts with pride. He had followed Jack enough to know that the woman was his best bet, because just as he thought of North as his father, the hellion saw this human as his mother.

"Mommy!" said Jamie, smiling widely "the Guardians did it! Uncle Jack did it! They rescued Mother Nature!"

"It looks like, sweetie" she replied, smiling as she caressed his hair. Just then, the image of Jack a few hours ago crossed her mind. He looked so scared and weak. Mandy could hear Jack's voice in her head 'I may be putting you in danger... she takes away my powers..." why wasn't he here? Was he injured? She expected him to run to them when it was over, to let them know that it was OK, that he was OK. What if something did happen to him?

Finally. Beautiful fear. An evil smile stretched across Pitch's face as two of his mares moved closer to Amanda. She couldn't see the black sand wrapping around her waist, but she could feel the fearlings tugging her body away from her son.

"Jamie! Run!" she managed to scream before she was pulled out of theater by the twin nightmares.

"Mom!" screamed Jamie "Dad!" he jelled, forgetting for a moment that his father was outside. "Jack! Bunny! North!" and just as his mom reached the window, just as he noticed the Guardians weren't around, he saw the Boogeyman smiling at him, waving goodbye before disappearing into the shadows.

* * *

Gretchen felt Jack's hands around her wrists. He had obviously forgotten about the pain because he was almost hurting her, forcing her to let go of the blue fabric.

"Jack" panted Gretchen, looking fearful at the hellion.

"Oi!" yelled Bunny, hopping by their side, realizing what was happening.

Jack pushed the Groundhog's hands away from his body and flew in the old theater's direction as fast as he could. Tooth, Sandy and North followed him.

"Jack, noooo!" screamed Gretchen, stretching her hand trying to stop him. That was a mistake. The sudden movement made her side hurt even more. She would have collapsed on the floor had Bunny not been there to catch her.

"Gretchen!" said Aster, lifting her face up, staring into her teary eyes. "Are you OK?" he asked, caressing her cheek.

"Fine" she breathed, a tiny smile trying to hide the tears that were menacing to betray her.

He knew she wasn't fine. He could hear her breathing loudly, painfully, gasping to fill her lungs with air, unable to stand up straight.

"I'm taking you to the yetis right..." he started, before the laugh made him turn around.

The other Guardians didn't have to go too far to find Pitch. But where was Jack's family?

"Looking for someone?" asked the Boogeyman maliciously.

North looked around for any sign of the innocent as Jack glared at Pitch. Sandy and Tooth hovered on either side of the winter spirit, still worried about his injuries.

Pitch disappeared in the shadows, only to reappear a few meters away from the pookas, attracted by fear.

"What do we have here?" he asked, a sickening smile on his face.

Bunny looked at him murderous, standing between Pitch and Gretchen in a protective gesture.

"So... cutie is still alive... such great news" he said, circling them. "I wonder for how long... I mean we know that her rib is piercing her lung... lack of oxygen, internal bleeding... How long has it been, gorgeous?" he asked, hiding in the shadows only to come out behind Bunny "Too long... congratulations rabbit, it looks like you will be the last pooka very soon..." said the Nightmare King, disappearing again into the shadows.

But Bunny was the Guardian of Hope for a reason. He knew Gretchen was tough. He knew she would be OK. And if he had any tiny spec of fear the Groundhog reassured him.

"Leave... him... alone!" she growled, her green eyes glaring at the amber ones.

Aster smiled and so did the rest of the Guardians who were now surrounding them, protecting them from Pitch. This woman was amazing. She could barely stand, yet she had the the courage to stand up to the Nightmare King... to stand up for him. He was the one who was supposed to be protecting her.

"I've had... worse" she said, looking at Bunny now. He had to smile again this time.

"Sure you have, Love" he replied, tapping the ground with his paw to open a tunnel. He was not risking her any longer.

Bunny scooped her in his arms as quickly and gentle as he could and they both disappeared down the rabbit hole.

"Very well, so your fried just abandoned you..." smiled Pitch maliciously.

"Cut the act Pitch, we all know I don't need him to get rid of you!" rasped Jack, menacingly.

"Jack, Jack, Jack... you really should start showing more respect..." replied the Boogeyman, just before the shadows revealed a herd of fearlings surrounding the Guardians.

And just in front of the winter hellion, wrapped in black sand, was Mandy, her brown eyes wide with terror. She couldn't see what was happening, she only knew that she was restrained somehow and had been dragged to this place, away from her family.

"Jack! What's going on?" she managed to say, before the black sand covered her mouth.


	29. Terror

**WOW! I really should have asked for 1000 reviews ;)**

**You guys are so cool! Thank you soooooooooooooo much you have no idea how wonderful this is. **

**I'm dedicating this chapter to Edam, not only because he went back and reviewed each and every chapter, but for his constant support and his great advice. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It turned out to be more tension than action per se, but I think I'm happy with the way it turned out.**

**i also want to send special thanks to the wonderful Faleno who created the most amazing covers for my previous stories. They're super cool -as well as my new avatar ;)- please check them out.**

* * *

Bunny and Gretchen entered the tunnel and he carefully laid her down in a bed of soft grass he made for her. She inhaled as deeply as she could. It smelled of spring, it smelled of home, it smelled of him. He looked into her eyes for the shortest of seconds and she couldn't help smiling as he kissed her forehead.

"Stay" he breathed.

She supposed he meant 'stay alive' because he knew very well that this was his tunnel and _he_ was the only one who could create an exit. He knew very well that she could barely move. She was about to protest, to tell him that she would be OK, that she really had had worse, when she saw him disappear through a hole.

The Groundhog laid back on the grass and got herself as comfortable as she could, concentrating on her breathing, trying to get as much air into her lungs as possible. It hurt like Hell. She was dizzy from lack of oxygen, or from the tornado, she couldn't be sure. She felt so exhausted. She hoped he came back soon, so she could tell him that she loved him too. That idiot Peter Rabbit better stop disappearing on her like that or she would have to kick his ass again. Gretchen smiled at that thought, as her eyes closed.

* * *

Amanda Bennett had never been this scared since little Sophie disappeared last spring. She considered herself a brave woman, but she was always braver when it came to protecting the ones she loved than for herself, as if her love was always stronger than her fear. And right now she was trembling from head to toe, too terrified to even try to scream. She could feel something rough, like sand paper wrapped tightly around her body, scratching her skin. Whatever it was, it was really strong and she wondered how long before it crushed her to death. Amanda Bennett had never been this scared.

And Pitch was loving it. He knew that he had made the right choice when he picked her. Her terror was feeding him, making him stronger, healing his injured shoulder. Because of her fear, he could conjure enough nightmares to defeat the Guardians. Because he had her, he didn't have to fear Frost, not even possessed would the winter spirit dare to put her at risk.

Mandy had no idea what was happening. All she could see was the ruins of her hometown... and Jack. But somehow her beloved hellion was the most terrifying thing of all. She could see his horrific injuries and her heart sank imagining the pain he had been through. She could clearly see a helpless, powerless, scared Jack surrounded by flames and she felt sick to her stomach. But as bad as he looked, it was not his burnt extremities what was scaring her. No... It was the wild, alien expression on his face, the bright green replacing the playful blue of his eyes. He looked like someone else entirely. Amanda gave a silent gasp, remembering last spring. This was not Jack. This was the monster that almost killed the Guardians. Was Jack doing this? Was he going to... kill her?

"Jack, you have to tell her what's going on!" said Tooth, pulling Jack's sleeve. She could see Mandy's terrified face and she knew the woman's fear was making Pitch stronger.

But Jack jerked his arm away, his eyes focused on Pitch. He was so blinded by rage that his brain couldn't process what she was saying. The fairy stood in front of him this time, grabbing both his arms.

"Jack, he's feeding of...!" she started, but Jack pushed her away roughly. He didn't want anyone between him and Pitch and he didn't want her to get hurt by the after shock of what was about to happen.

Bunny came out from his tunnel, hiding in the bushes. He knew that the Boogeyman was a coward and he expected everyone else to be cowards as well. The pooka was sure that Pitch thought he had abandoned his friends, and Aster was not about to loose the element of surprise. He saw Amanda, her whole body wrapped in the black sand, her kind, sweet eyes wide with terror making his insides ache. Sophie's mom, Jamie's mom. The kids would be devastated if something happened to her. Since she couldn't see him, he had never really interacted with her, except for that time when she insisted on thanking him in person for saving the ankle bitter and Jack had acted as an interpreter for him. It always amazed him, thought, how she somehow knew when he was at the Bennett's, entering the kid's room and saying 'hello', making him sometimes wonder if she really couldn't see him.

He could hear Tooth screaming at Jack, who kept pushing her away and he realized she was right: Mandy's terror was feeding Pitch. He also realized that Jack was no longer himself, his bright green eyes staring murderous at the Boogeyman. There was no way the fairy would get through to him. Bunny needed to do something, but what?

Little white flowers bloomed in the bushes, forming a message:

WE'RE ALL HERE  
YOU'LL B ALRIGHT, LOVE  
DON'T FEAR, IT FEEDS PITCH

Love? '... a big Aussie bloke who happens to be a bunny' she remembered Jack's description of his fellow Guardian. Amanda closed her eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the essence of spring that filled her home every time the Easter Bunny was around. She could feel that energy always emanating from him, the feeling that everything will be alright. Hope. She turned around to look at the winter boy, more concerned over his safety than hers and then back to the bushes, looking for an answer. The plants responded:

JACK'S THE HULK

The effect was instantaneous. Even though Bunny couldn't see her face, he could see the smile in Amanda's eyes. She remembered a few days ago, Jamie and the twins were comparing the Guardians to the Avengers, matching a character to each Guardian. It was fine until they entered a very heated argument about Captain America. Claude and Caleb insisted that it should be Bunny, but Jamie, as always, argued it should be uncle Jack. Bunny most have been listening from Sophie's bedroom. 'Well, it seemed like that argument is settled' thought Mandy as she smiled under the black sand, her fears melting away. Bunny was here, the Guardians were here, Jack was fine. Sort of. She knew everything will be OK.

* * *

"What is it Jack? Is something the matter?" said Pitch maliciously "I thought you would rather enjoy this family reunion" he continued, smiling.

Jack just glared at him, breathing heavily, trying with all his might to control himself, to control this... this _thing_ for Mandy's sake. But he really just wanted to freeze Pitch straight to Hell.

"You took away my family, Jack. It was only fair that I took yours..." said the Nightmare King, as more and more sand mares surrounded the Guardians. "You understand, don't you. I just didn't want to be alone anymore. Isn't that what you want as well...?"

As always, the Boogeyman was so preoccupied with his monologue that he was completely unaware of the exchange between Bunny and Mandy, until he suddenly felt it. The fear just... disappeared. He stopped talking as his mares plunged themselves towards the Guardians, a reflection of his own rage. He turned around to face Amanda, his amber eyes shinning menacingly.

"I am the Nightmare King! You will fear me!" he yelled, as the black sand wrapped tighter across her body, covering her face, suffocating her, only to let her breathe again for a few seconds before smothering her again. He didn't intent to kill her after all, just scare her... for now.

"Oi! How about you mess with someone your own size!" said Bunny, coming out of the bushes and throwing his boomerang at Pitch.

The Boogeyman barely avoided being hit and he grabbed Mandy, using her as a human shield, as five nightmares surrounded the pooka.

"Nice try, rabbit? Did you really think it would be that easy?" said Pitch. "Tell me, is your little friend already dead? Or were you stupid enough to leave her to die alone?"

"You just wait until I put my hands on you, Pitch!" replied Bunny, fighting the fearlings that were now attacking him. They needed to get rid of the boogeyman soon, both Mandy and Gretchen were in danger.

Sandy, North and Tooth formed a circle around Jack, shielding their injured friend from the black sand horses. They had this. Just like before Tooth spun around, her sharp wings piercing through the black sand easily, while North sliced mare after mare with his remaining sword and Sandy hit fearlings left and right with his golden sand whips. Of course they had this. Until Jack realized what Pitch was doing to Mandy. They had this until Jack had enough.

His green eyes shone brightly as both of his mangled hands wrapped around his staff. He could feel the pain, but it was good. It was fueling his adrenalin, making him angrier, making him more powerful.

"Duck!" the real Jack managed to yell before it happened.

Ice shoot from the top of his staff, hitting the nightmares flying on top of them, creating a chain reaction as one after another froze and exploded into tiny pieces of ice until they were all gone.

"No!" screamed Pitch, incredulous. He expected fear to paralyze the winter spirit.

"OK, Pitch. Let the woman go now, we won't hurt you." said North, walking towards the Nightmare King, who was now surrounded by the Guardians.

"No" rasped Pitch. This time he was not afraid, he knew the Guardians would never risk Mandy. He wasn't sure what he was trying to achieve anymore. Maybe he would kill the woman after all. Maybe it was time for the stupid Guardians to learn that he really should be feared. "No. You will learn tonight what it feels like to lose." he said, a wild expression on his face.

Mandy's eyes were locked into Jack's trying to find some comfort, pleading, as the black sand suffocated her once more, not stopping this time. Her lungs were aching, crying for oxygen and the winter hellion could see it in her eyes. She was dying. Pitch was only distracting them while he killed her slowly.

Sandy looked from Pitch to Jack. The winter spirit's chest was heaving, his staff sparkling little pieces of frost, like fireworks, and the Sandman knew he was loosing his self control. And then he saw it in the green eyes: Jack was about to attack the Boogeyman. Sandy threw as much of his sand as he could towards Pitch in an attempt to protect Mandy and the Nightmare King himself, afraid of Mother Nature's threat. Just a second later, the blue light emanated from the wooden staff, blinding everyone as it collided with the golden sand, piercing through it.


	30. Haunted

**Only two chapters to go! This one is dedicated to the biggest Pitch and Grabbit fan I know: ObsidianLove. Hope you enjoy it, sweetie!**

**Now... Who would be 300th reviewer?**

* * *

Tooth caught Jack in mid air before he hit the ground. He had used every ounce of strength against Pitch and he was too weak, his hands bleeding, aching like they never had before, forcing him to let go of his staff. He clung to the fairy like a lifeline, his green eyes closing as he buried his face on her soft feathers, on that favorite spot of his where her neck met her shoulder, where he could inhale the flower nectar of her skin. He felt her body tensing, he may have heard her gasp but he was not sure, the world was just a blur and he was trying with all his might not to pass out from the pain. And just then, his mind showed him the terrified brown eyes he loved so much.

"Mandy?" he breathed, scanning his surrounding with his icy blue eyes.

He could hear a commotion but he couldn't see what was going on, his back was towards the noise.

"Tooth?" he asked, his voice strained.

Tooth shifted his body so he could see with his own eyes because there was no way she could explain what was happening.

Laying on the floor was Mandy, seemingly unconscious, covered in a golden sand cocoon. A few inches from her was Pitch, his body shaking fiercely, just as if he was having a seizure. The other three Guardians were frozen in place, unsure of what to do. The Nightmare King seemed to be in terrible pain, his body dithering uncontrollably, his complexion chalkier than ever, his face contorted. And then they witnessed the most terrifying thing of all: the Boogeyman's mouth opened wider that it was humanly possible, and a black, ghostly figure escaped from it. It had impossibly long arms and fingers twisted like claws, and its empty eye sockets were filled with a dim yellow light. Except for a terrifying mouth, the thing was faceless, yet it was obvious by looking at it that the creature was also in terrible pain.

They all felt it: fear. A paralyzing cold freezing their insides, freezing them in place. Jack couldn't help but smiling when he saw the black wattle boomerang cutting through the fearling, who disappeared at its touch. That was definitely the way Bunny dealt with fear. But his grin was erased when another ghostly figure came out of Pitch's mouth, followed by countless others. Their shadows clouded the sunlight, wrapping the Guardians in their cold darkness. Tooth pushed her boyfriend to the ground and laid on top of him, protecting him with her body. He tried to protest, he wanted to protect her instead, but he was to weak to move under her weight.

All the Guardians ducked. Sandy pulled Amanda away from Pitch, into the safety of a ruined building. Bunny went back into the bushes and North took cover behind a nearby car as fearling after fearling came out of the Nightmare King, flying away at top speed, making frightening noises, voices from their pasts calling their names, their biggest fears alive once more.

Bunny heard his people screaming as the fearlings army attacked his home. North heard the voices of those he had killed, accusing him, judging him. Tooth heard her parents screaming as they were murdered. Sandy could hear Pitch's terrifying laugh as he was turned into a nightmare. And Jack's sister screamed his name as he fell into the frozen lake. They knew it wasn't real, but the echoes from the past brought with them pain, sorrow and fear. The fairy clung to her winter boy for dear life, the fear of loosing him as well, of loosing him for real taking over her. The hellion knew what was going through her mind.

"I'm right here, Toothie! Forever! Right here!" he screamed, unsure that she could hear him amidst the chaos.

"I know" she replied, burying her face in his neck.

The deafening noises lasted until all ten thousand fearlings disappeared with the darkness. When the sun shone again, there was a dead silence.

"Everyone OK?" asked North coming out from behind the car.

"All good, mate!" said Bunny, coming out of the bushes as well.

"Jack?" asked Tooth.

"I'm fine" he said smiling. He was far from fine. His heart was racing at a million beats per minute and the pain... blinding pain blurring the world around him. But what was the point in worrying Tooth even more?

Sandy came out from the building to stand by their side, his dream sand carrying Mandy who was now awake. He hoped she recognized that he was being gentle, hoped she knew she wasn't in danger anymore.

She somehow did know that the sand was no longer constricting her, but she was still shaken from the fearlings. She couldn't see them, but she could feel the cold, terrifying breeze as they flew around her and she couldn't stop thinking about that night last spring, when she found Sophie's empty bed . She saw her winter boy, sitting on the pavement, his beautiful blue eyes contorted with pain. She ran towards him, surprised that she could, realizing that she was not a prisoner anymore. It must be over. She walked through Tooth who immediately jerked away, and kneeled down on the floor in front of Jack. She froze being so close to him, afraid to touch him, not because she was scared of him, but because she feared her touch would hurt him further. His injuries were so bad it made her feel sick and he looked so pasty and weak, so unlike the bubbly hellion she knew.

"Are you OK, sweetie? Can I help?" she asked in the most comforting tone she could master, trying to hide the tears prickling her eyes.

"I should be asking you that" replied with a tiny smile. "I'm sorry" he said, putting his head on her shoulder, waiting for her to hold him and when she did, he felt some of his pain subsiding.

* * *

North and Bunny went to check on Pitch, who was lying unconscious on the floor. He looked... different. His skin was pale, but not his usual chalky, greyish shade, just the yellowish pale of someone who hadn't been exposed to sunlight for a long time. His cloak looked like regular linen, no trace of black sand on it. And his face looked... peaceful... happy...

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked the pooka, looking incredulous at North.

"Maybe" replied the Russian, his eyes fixed on Pitch. "Let's take him back to the yetis." he said, holding Black's arm, looking for a pulse. He found it.

"I'll get Gretchen and we'll all go. I hope you have a portal." said Aster, tapping the ground with his right paw. He knew the Groundhog wouldn't enjoy another trip on the death trap and he didn't think she was well enough for him to carry her all the way to the Pole.

"The very last one." said North, checking his jacket pockets.

* * *

Bunny found Gretchen lying on the grass. She was so beautiful when she was asleep, her peaceful face illuminating the dark tunnel, like his own personal sun. He kneeled next to her and let his thumb run through her cheek.

"Gretchen..." he called.

Nothing.

"Gretchen!" he called again, this time his voice was a little high, a little panicky.

Nothing.

Pitch's voice invaded his mind. 'How long has it been, gorgeous? Too long... congratulations rabbit, it looks like you will be the last pooka very soon...'. Had he made a mistake? Should he have abandoned his friends and get her help? Did he really let her... die alone... in a tunnel? No, no bloody way!

He held her neck and her shoulders and pulled her closer, heaving a sight of relief as he felt her chest rising and falling, breathing albeit irregularly.

"Gretchen!" he called again and her eyes fluttered open, but he could see she wasn't quite there.

"Bunny" she smiled, trying to focus on his face but her eyes just would not obey her.

"Shh. Don't talk, Love. I'm taking you to the medics right now" he said as he lifted her up and started walking to the exit.

"I don't... like... doctors..." she pouted.

"Don't worry, I'll hold your hand the whole time and they'll give you a lolly when they're done." he said smiling as they came out from the tunnel.

"I was... worried" she continued, covering her eyes from the bright sunlight.

"Please stop talking, Gretch, you didn't have to be. Of course there was an exit to the tunnel just in case. I figured Gaia could find you if..." he replied.

"No. Worried...about... you. I... love you... too. Always." she interjected placing her hand on his face.

North decide to pretend he hadn't witnessed that. Both the Groundhog and Jack needed urgent help.

"Ready to go, no?" the Russian said loudly.

Sandy's dreamsand wrapped around Amanda once more, forming a biplane. He would take her home. But as soon as the sand touched her, her eyes widened.

"It's just Sandy" smiled Jack. "He's taking you back." Mandy nodded.

"Get better soon, I love you." she said waving as the biplane flew away.

"Bye Mandy. I love you too!" said Jack as Tooth took him through the portal.


	31. Light Warrior

**Oh My MiM! 310 reviews! Do you have any idea how much I love you right now?**

**Special thanks to:**

**ShawnaCrazyGirl, Everlark-forever12, CatnipFrost, MagicGold34, Edam Aster Bunnymund,** **KrystalINSANEGirl, Faleno, Revenge of the Red Pen, OinkyThePiggy, TheAngelofIego, creatorX33 ,** **Alexia04, RJguzman318, AnonymousWolf, AGR2016, crazyguy1313 and ObsidianLove ****for all your reviews and support and for being awesome.**

**Did you noticed we have a cover now? did you see how awesome it is? How scared Gaia looks? thanks so much to the gorgeous Hanna (I don't know about the outside, but on the inside you are gorgeous) for this, I know you worked really hard and it shows.**

* * *

Sandy didn't have to fly too far with Mandy. A couple of blocks away they found a search party calling her name. She was pleased that her husband was not amongst them. They had had this conversation before, in the darkest hour: they would not risks their lives to save each other. One of them should always make it, for Jamie and Sophie. She knew he had been edgy since the kids disappeared last spring, avoiding work trips overseas and coming home in time for dinner most days. She knew he would happily give his life to save hers or the kids' and she was proud of him for staying behind, for doing the right thing. She felt Sandy laying her down gently, a few yards away from the rescuers.

Mandy imagined how Jamie's 'the boogeyman took my mom' must have sounded like to the others and she assumed they were looking for some sort of wild animal. Good thing her skin was all scratched from the sand.

"Thank you, Sandy" said Mandy with a big smile and the Sandman was surprised that she was looking in his direction. Just like Bunny, he wondered if she could see him.

Amanda figured that, just like The Easter Bunny emanated hope, Sandy most also have a feeling to him and she correctly guessed that it was 'dreamy'. And as soon as she thought of it, she realized that she was imagining herself being taken by a big bear and escaping in the nick of time, which by the way, provided the perfect story to justify her disappearance. She smiled. She had just discovered her own way to _see_ the Guardians.

* * *

Bunny was sitting on a chair next to Gretchen's bed when it happened. His thumb was drawing circles in her inert hand, his eyes lost somewhere in a simpler world where he didn't love this woman, where he wouldn't care if she lived or died. But as he thought about it, he realized that that world was not a couple of days ago, it was more like a couple of centuries ago. 'I... love you... too. Always' her voice resounded in his head. Always. Did she mean since the beginning? Did she mean they could have been together for centuries, _should have_ benn together for centuries? He felt like kicking himself for all the time they lost, for all the time he hoped they will have now.

Bloody Pitch had guessed correctly that she had internal injuries. She had lost a lot of blood and there were no blood donors for a pooka/fairy hybrid. The yetis healed her injuries, but it was all they could do. They would have to wait and see, give her body some time to recover and hope for the best. 'Hope' he sighted.

Aster was lost in his own thoughts, in his own pain, when something stirred a couple of beds away. The man opened his eyes, disoriented. The last thing he remembered was his daughter's voice in the lonely prison he was guarding. He stupidly opened the gate where the voice was coming from, realizing a second too late that he had fallen into a trap, before he was attacked by countless fearlings.

He could not make sense of his surroundings, but he tried his best to asses the situation. Someone had obviously helped him, rescuing him from the fearlings. He was lying on a comfortable bed, unrestrained, so he was not a prisoner. He looked around and saw two long ears. A pooka. The pookas must have saved him and he must be in their village now. He was safe. He was definitely amongst friends. Or so he thought.

"Hello?" he called, sitting up.

Something in Bunny snapped when he heard his voice. All those emotions stirring in his chest finally found an outlet and he hopped to Kozmotis' bed, his eyes filled with hatred.

"You. Did. This!" he rasped, his nose touching the man's who looked back at him fearlessly, ready to defend himself if it came to that.

Pitchiner realized what was going on. He saw the girl lying on the bed before the Guardian jumped at him. But it was still very strange behavior for a pooka.

"I'm sorry" replied Kozmotis "I do not remember anything, but if she got hurt because of me, please accept my most sincere apologies." he tried to look at the pooka in the eyes, tried to convey sincerity. Pitchiner was a warrior, but he was unarmed, and the rabbit was much more agile and stronger than he was, not to mention obviously irrational.

"Sorry! You are sorry! Do you have any idea what you've done!" screamed Bunny as a yeti pulled him away from the man while another one went to get North. "You killed everyone! My family! And now..." Bunny turned around to look at Gretchen.

Pitchiner could not believe this was a pooka, and he wondered what had he done that was so terrible to provoke this reaction in a practically emotionless being. But even his wildest guess didn't come close to the truth.

"I am sorry I had caused you such pain. I never meant to. I'm a warrior of light, I was trying to rid the world of fear. Please tell me what I did and what I can do to help." said the man.

Bunny looked at Pitch and realized that this was not the Boogeyman. He was just another victim, condemned to be the very thing he hated the most for centuries. Nevertheless, he needed to get this out of his chest, he needed to hurt him somehow.

"The pookas. I am the very last one. You mercilessly killed them all. Women, children... every single one of them" he said, his voice still full of hatred as he smoldered Pitch.

Kozmotis closed his honey colored eyes. He couldn't face the pooka anymore. It couldn't be, he couldn't have done such a thing. An entire race of intelligent, good natured beings... gone. He felt the pain of the thousands of souls whose life he had stolen. He felt dirty, his hands stained with the blood of the innocent.

North, Sandy and Tooth ran into the room, staring at both the man and the pooka.

"Bunny? Are you Ok?" she asked, holding one of his hands in both of hers.

He didn't reply. He just kept staring at Pitch, breathing heavily, trying to decide what to do next.

"Kozmotis" said North. The man just realized he was standing by the door. "walk with me." added the Russian, gesturing outside the room with his hand.

Tooth held Bunny as tight as she could, and he lost himself in her embrace, fighting the tears welling his eyes. Sandy looked towards the door, but decided to stay put.

"How are you feeling?" asked North, guiding Pitch through a long hallway.

"Is that true? Did I really... the pookas..." Kozmotis sounded like a man in agony.

"That was not your fault. We saw the fearlings that possessed you. You have kill nobody" added the Russian, looking at him kindly as they walked along a very long corridor.

"Why... why are you doing this? Helping me? I'm a... monster!" asked Pitchiner.

"My son, he went through... something similar, except that it looks like he will have to live with his demons forever. He also did terrible things, including trying to kill _me_ and his girlfriend, but we forgave him, healed him. That was not him. It was the other Jack. Kozmotis Pitchner didn't kill anyone, Pitch Black did. The fearlings did" replied the Guardian decisively.

"Could I... talk to him? Your son?" asked the man, he needed to talk to someone who had dealt with this guilt he was feeling. He wanted to talk to someone who could really understand.

"Not for a few days. He was gravely injured. We're keeping him sedated because he's in too much pain. He will recover faster like this." added North casually.

"Did I do that as well?" Kozmotis was trying to understand what he had done, but most of all, he was trying to understand why this man was showing him so much undeserved kindness.

"Only indirectly. But don't worry. I'm sure he of all people will understand. He'll be perfect fine very soon. Cookie?" offered the Guardian stealing a tray from a passing elf but Kozmotis refused. He couldn't stomach anything right now.

"This is your room" said North, stopping in front of one of many doors along the corridor. "We better keep you away from Bunny and Gretchen until she gets better."

"What if she doesn't?" asked Pitchiner.

"Then we'll have to keep you away from Bunny for quite some time. But she will get better. I feel it, no? In my belly" added the Russian patting his stomach.

"Can I have a weapon?" asked Kozmotis again. He was really nervous about the crazy pooka whose whole kind he had destroyed.

"That, would be pushing it..." smiled North.

"But, what if the pooka tries to kill me?" he retorted.

"Bunny wouldn't do such a thing. He just over reacted back there. We've had very rough last two days. Don't worry, we are Guardians, we are the good guys." North winked. "You're safe here. If you need anything, let an elf or a yeti know. I'm Nicholas St North, by the way" said the Russian, shaking his hand. "I'll come back to check on you soon. I need to see how the others are doing and then I'll asnwer all your questions."

* * *

North went back to the medical room where Bunny was once again sitting on his chair, holding Gretchen's hand. Tooth was standing behind him, her hands were squeezing his shoulders. Sandy was standing next to her.

"Are you OK?" asked Santa, entering the room.

"That's not Pitch, is it?" said the pooka.

"No. Pitch Black is dead. Jack killed him." replied North decisively.

"And we rescued an innocent in the process." added Bunny, although he looked like the words were burning his insides.

"Exactly." replied the Guardian of Wonder.


	32. Dawn

**Interesting to know that no one seemed to be worried about Gretchen's well being. So you do take your happy endings for granted, don't you?**

**Did you forget that I made Jack kill Tooth in 'Cold Poison'?**

**Thank you so much for the reviews, though ;)**

* * *

It was very late at night, but North was still in his office, checking old books, desperately trying to find a way to free Jack from his curse. He knew that somehow the winter spirit could control the _other Jack_, but he really didn't want his son to live like this for the rest of forever. The Guardian of Wonder wasn't having any luck. The third yawn in a row told him that maybe it was better to continue his search tomorrow, his brain was so fuzzy that he feared he may have had the answer in front of him without realizing it. 

As he walked through the long corridor towards his bedroom, he noticed Toothie's door was open. He shook his head in disapproval but when he went to close it he noticed that, not only was the fairy not on her bed, but she had never been, as the bed was perfectly made. North frowned. He knew exactly where Tooth was.

He opened Jack's door to find Tooth snuggled up next to the winter spirit, both making it warm for him and exposing herself to the extra cold temperature of his bedroom.

"Toothiana!" he called, standing on the door. "Are you trying to catch pneumonia? He doesn't even know you're here!"

"I was just... Bunny does get to be by Gretchen's side for days on end, why can't I?!" she pouted.

North smiled. He loved this about Tooth. Sometimes she was the very wise, older than time Queen of the Fairies and even he looked up to her as the motherly figure of the group. Other times, like this one, she was just a fifteen year old girl.

"Well, Gretchen is not a winter spirit. She doesn't need the cold and Bunny won't get sick for being with her." he said. Tooth was about to protest but he continued "and you know that Jack will be perfectly fine..."

Tooth felt a rush of guilt at those words. They really were expecting the Groundhog to be better by now but she was showing no signs of improvement. Gretchen's condition had become the pink elephant in the room. They were all very worried but they all avoided talking about it, especially in front of Bunny, who refused to believe that anything bad could happen to her. At least she knew her winter boy would be flying around very soon, breaking his ussual havoc.

"We'll wake him up tomorrow morning and see how he feels, OK? In the mean time go and get some rest, in your warm bedroom..." added North.

"Ahk! matak lagu nokg ka ghu!" yelled a yeti from the corridor.

"Gaia...c'mon!" said North following him.

The two Guardians found another yeti carrying Mother Nature just a few meters away from the medical room. She looked OK, just exhausted.

"Is he...?" asked Gaia worried, looking straight at North.

"He's fine Gaia, your father, he's fine." he replied smiling. Mother Nature smiled but she seemed to be fighting to keep her eyes open.

"Gaia, are you OK?" asked Tooth, holding her hand.

Gaia nodded, her eyes half closing.

"Are we OK?" asked North, causing Gaia to smile again.

"Yes, the worst is over and I have every nature spirit helping. Except for the three you have here, of course. They have done more than enough already." she replied smiling kindly.

"Bunny could still help if you really need him to..." started North but Gaia shook her hand in dismissal.

"I prefer that he stays here looking after Gretch. How is she?" she interjected as they reached the medical room.

Both North and Tooth avoided her gaze.

* * *

Gretchen was lost in some world faraway, searching for a way back, an anchor to tie her to the world of the living. She was never afraid of dying but she really didn't want to go now, now that she finally had him.

She found the warm fingers wrapped around her hand and smiled inside her head. She clung to the feeling of the digits warming her rigid skin, literally for dear life, and felt herself coming back, coming back to him, back to the softness of his fur, to the warmth of his hand. Her eyes fluttered opened, but it took her a long time to process the information they were sending to her brain. She was in some sort of hospital yard, but all the lights were off, making it really hard to see, so she returned her attention to the soft fingers that brought her back into this world.

Bunny was sitting on a chair next to her bed, deeply asleep with his head resting on the side of her bed, one hand acting as a pillow, the other one on hers, giving her strength, giving her hope. She couldn't help herself and she gave those wonderful fingers a tiny squeeze. He immediately opened his eyes, as if even in his sleep he was waiting for any sign that she would come back. Unbeknown to her, this was their third night in the medical room. He stared at her, a little shocked, his eyes searching hers, unsure what to do next, not totally convinced that he wasn't just dreaming.

"Hi" he managed to say, smiling.

"Hi" she breathed back. Her voice felt alien to her, as if she had forgotten what it sounded like. "Bunny..." she continued, her raspy voice not much louder than a whisper. She was still in pain but she could now breathe easily and she didn't want to put it off any longer. She knew she almost lost her chance... "I need you to know... I love you too. I have always loved you, since the first day you called me a wanker with a dodgy system." she said smiling widely, but his reaction was not what she expected.

He was worried. She obviously didn't remember telling him that she loved him.

"Gretch, what's the last thing you remember?" he asked, his thumb tracing figures on her hand.

"I... don't know. Pitch saying something about me dying, I think you took me... somewhere. Wait! We never... finish what we started, did we?" she replied, trying to separate reality from dreams.

Aster couldn't keep a straight face any longer. He chuckled as quietly as he could, he knew that if the yetis heard him they'd come and check on her and this little exchange would be over.

"No, Love. I kinda prefer my women conscious. Was that a good dream, though?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"You have a lot to live up to..." she said with a wide smile. She was thrilled that he was there, that his hand was still on hers, that they could joke and laugh as if the nightmare never happened.

"I am always up for a challenge." he said smiling back, his eyes looking at hers kindly, lovingly, the empty, facetious words not reflecting the feelings in his chest. He closed the gap between them without realizing, but he just nuzzled at the nose, joining their foreheads. He needed to be closer to her, but he didn't think she was well enough for a kiss. She closed her eyes again, enjoying his proximity. But her heaven was very short lived.

They both jumped when the others entered the room with Gaia. They both pulled away as if they had been caught doing something wrong.

"Gretchen?" said Gaia as the yeti laid her on the bed.

"Gretchen! Slava Bogu!" said North, walking towards them with Tooth flying by his side. But they never made it to the Groundhog. As Bunny predicted, a wave of yetis came over to examine her, pushing the Guardians away.

"Is she OK?" asked Tooth, smiling.

"She doesn't seem to remember everything, but she was making jokes and smiling. I think she'll be fine" replied Bunny. "Is that Gaia?"

"Yes" answered North "she came looking for Gretchen... and her father." said North as a yeti came into the room pulling a very confused Kosmotis by the arm.

His expression softened when he recognized the beautiful young woman laying on the bed in front of him. Last time he saw her she was only a little girl. But he recognized the silky black hair, just like her mother's, the deep brown eyes that always seemed to look inside his soul, the pointy chin, just like his own.

"Sera..." he breathed.

"Father..." she said with a smile that illuminated the whole room. She had waited for this moment for so long that she thought it would never happen.

Pitchiner walked to her side, slowly, hesitant. He touched her pale skin, not too different from his, and his thumb wiped the single tear that was running down her cheek. A happy tear. He held her tightly in his arms and kissed the top of her head just like he did too many years ago, when she was little. He hummed her favorite lullaby and they stayed like that, in each other's arms, long after everyone else except for Bunny and Gretchen left the room, long after Gaia felt asleep, long after the sunlight sneaked in through the drawn curtains.

* * *

Jack smiled as he opened his eyes. All he could see was Tooth's face, hovering so close to his that his eyes could barely bring her into focus. Her gorgeous face was filled with anticipation, the slight breeze from her batting wings caressed his face as she moved side to side, up and down, almost as fast as she talked.

"Jack! Jack, can you hear me! Jack! Jack, are you OK? How are you feeling?! Does it hurt?! Jack!" she said frantically.

Her winter boy caught her in his arms and pressed her flushed against his body, burying his nose in his favorite spot, right where her wonderful neck met her soft, warm shoulder.

"I'm great!" he smiled against her feathers and she smiled too, knowing that he was referring to that particular point in time when she was in his arms. She too was great. It had only been a few days but she had missed him so much.

Bunny cleared his throat. Loudly. He was really more amused than angry, and he was relieved that the kid was alright, but he was not about to let Snowflake know that.

The winter spirit looked around. All the Guardians were there, North smiled widely at him, his eyes filled with an emotion Jack just couldn't pin point. Sandy gave him a thumbs up and the widest smile he could master. And Bunny was giving him the same fake angry look he always gave him when he 'crossed the line'. He didn't noticed the yetis standing in the corner. They were the same two yetis who had been looking after him for the past four days.

"I would ask if you're OK, but I can see that you are." said the pooka.

Jack smiled before burying his face in the soft feathers once more.

* * *

**I hope it's not a turn off, but it looks like we'll have one more chapter after all. Too many characters, too many loose ends and a writter who really doesn't want to let this story go ;)**


	33. Sense

**I know! I'm sorry. I've been a very naughty writter. I just kept writing and writing...**

**It gets worse... this is still not the end. Sorry. I really don't want to let this story go.**

**This one is for Goldie, who requested it ;) hope it's what you expected.**

* * *

"North!" Tooth screamed opening the office door without knocking. "he's gone. He tricked me and he's gone!" she said frantically. She looked both angry and worried.

"What... are you talking about?" asked the Russian man, startled.

"Jack! He said he needed medicine and I went to get it and when I came back he was gone! I looked everywhere! He's not at the workshop!" she said, flying around North as fast as she spoke.

North sighted. He understood that three hundred years of isolation didn't go away in a few months, that Jack's connection with the wind was beyond anything they could comprehend, that the hellion needed cold and fun. But it was an unpredictable world out there and his son was still recovering from his injuries. He knew the fairy was right to be worried.

"Should we go and get him?" asked Tooth.

"Let's give him an hour. I'll ask Gaia to keep an eye out for him. He must really need this if he sneaked out on you, no?" replied North.

* * *

Jack was having the time of his life. He was flying, twirling and zigzagging, letting the cool breeze tame his sore skin, happy to be reunited again with his oldest friend. The caress of the breeze on his face, its murmur in his ears, told him that the wind was more than happy to please its favorite master once more, its very best friend.

The moment would have been perfect if it wasn't for a tiny spec of guilt. Ever since Jack left his bed that morning, Tooth became an extension of his arm- not that he was complaining, not one bit- and he had to trick her to come on this little trip alone. He was moving as fast as he could, knowing it wouldn't take her long to realize he was gone or where he was going. He knew she would only be worried about his safety, he knew he probably shouldn't be flying such a long distance on his own,but it was very important that his beautiful fairy didn't listen to this particular conversation he wanted to have with Mandy. He was going to do it. Tonight. After all they had been through, he was not wasting one more day. Problem was, he had no idea how to go about it.

He found Mandy working outside. The humans were trying to clean up the roads in an attempt to rebuild their town.

"Mandy!" he called.

She turned around with a smile and ran behind a building where no one would hear her talking. She had been worrying sick about him, the memory of his injuries hunting her dreams, the pain in his eyes engraved in her heart. She loved Jack, he was her teenager, immortal son and after so many days not knowing about his condition, to see him standing there, smiling his adorable lopsided grin felt like a light in the darkness.

"Jack! I was so worried, sweetie!" she said, wrapping her arms around him, making him feel safe and at home once more.

* * *

KNOCK- KNOCK- KNOCK

Jack came back from his little trip exhausted and a little sore. He was resting in bed when he heard his favorite voice in the world.

"Jack? Are you there?" asked Tooth.

"Yes, come in, Toothie. I'm sorry about earlier I..." he started, sitting up, until he saw the person entering his bedroom behind his girlfriend. "Pitch Black" he rasped, trying to reach his staff that was lying against the wall.

"General Kozmotis Pitchiner, at your service. Of course you can just call me Kozmotis..." said the man smiling kindly.

Jack looked over at Tooth. He was trying to find answers in her eyes, trying to figure out whether they were in danger. She just smiled encouragingly.

"Jack... remember what happened? Remember the fearlings?" she asked hesitantly. She was glad she decided to come along with Kozmotis.

Jack's brain was working as fast as it could. Bunny had told him what happened to Pitch and the fearlings and he knew he was Gaia's father. So this man standing in front of him most have been the Golden Armies general.

"I... I wanted to talk to you, since we have both lived through something similar. I've heard a lot about you, Jack Frost, and I also would like to thank you for rescuing me from the fearlings..." said Kozmotis, trying to break the ice.

"You should not thank me. I was trying to kill you. I'm not even sure whether I wanted to do it or if I just lost control for a second." said Jack, his arm rubbing his eyes as his hands still hurt.

"Jack..." said Tooth "Kozmotis wanted to talk to you in private. I'll wait outside. Would that be OK?" she asked, her fingers hugging the door frame, her eyes searching his.

"Yes, that would be OK. Thank you, Toothie" he said smiling, hypnotized by the amethysts staring back at him, making him nervous and anxious at the same time. If only she knew...

She turned around and closed the door behind her, breaking the spell.

"She's quite something..." said the General, noticing Jack was still gazing at the door.

"Yes" said Jack simply.

"You don't have anything to apologize for. It went extremely well for me. In fact, considering everything I have done, I wish someone would have killed me earlier. Death would have been better than having to live knowing that I've killed so many innocents, knowing that I've caused that much pain." added Pitchiner, not meeting the boy's eyes.

"Do you... remember, being Pitch?" asked Jack. He was now curious about the man standing in front of him, and just like the General, he wanted to talk to someone who could really understand.

"No. The last thing I remember was being attacked by the fearlings" replied Kozmotis.

"Well that's a blessing! I remember everything. I remember myself stabbing North on the shoulder, laughing at his pain. I even remember the stupid, sick feeling as I dug the icicle deeper into his skin and enjoyed it. I remember Tooth's sad eyes as I prepared to kill her. And the nightmares. I still sometimes dream that I do kill her, only to come back a second too late and realize what I've done..." said the winter spirit.

"Remembering must be terrible..." offered the man "but at least you didn't get to do anything terrible. At least they stopped you before you did anything you would really regret. I... I now have to live knowing..."

"But you did nothing!" Interjected Jack. "You don't even remember being him, how can you blame yourself? You should stop feeling guilty and enjoy having your life back. At least you're free, which is more than I can say..."

"Are you afraid?" asked Kozmotis.

"That he will take over? Yes. I wasn't before, but now that I know he's still here somehow, I am. But MiM seems confident that Tooth can always bring me back." replied the boy, rubbing his eyes again.

"You shouldn't be afraid. You have good friends. I'm sure they'll find the answer soon." offered the man, noticing that Jack was exhausted. "I'll let you rest now, I can see you need it. I will see you at dinner tonight." added Kozmotis, walking to the door.

"Kozmotis!" called Jack. "I did learn to stop blaming myself for what he did. Perhaps you should do the same..."

The man smiled before he left the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Jack didn't realized he had fallen asleep until he felt the small hand running through his white hair.

"Wake up, Sunshine!" said his fairy.

"Sunshine! I'm the opposite of sunshine!" he said with a toothy smile as he opened his eyes and held the tiny hand in his.

"That's what you think..." Tooth replied, smiling back.

"Is it party time already?" asked the winter spirit.

"No. MiM wants to talk to you. Alone..." she informed him.

"What?!" asked Jack. MiM had never wanted to talk to him alone before. Actually, MiM never wanted to talk to him at all.

As they flew down the long corridor towards the Globe Room, Jack was very quiet. He knew what this was all about. There was no cure for him, he had lost control by trying to kill Pitch and Manny didn't think he was worth the risk any longer. He was going to be replaced. He would loose his place as a Guardian. The thought hurt him and scared him, perhaps more than it should. The boy knew that the Guardians were his family now and they would not abandon him just because he wasn't one of them anymore. But this wasn't about being alone. The winter hellion loved being a Guardian, he loved finally having believers, not being invisible anymore. And most of all, he loved feeling useful, he loved being able to protect the children.

Tooth sensed something was wrong and held his arm a little tighter.

"Maybe he just wants to thank you, you know?" she said with a tiny smile that her boyfriend didn't return.

Jack entered the empty Globe Room and waited. Nothing happened for a couple of minutes and then, the moonlight entered through the ceiling hatch, illuminating his face.

"You wanted to talk to me?" asked Jack. His tone was half fearful, half defiant.

The moonlight moved from his face to the floor tiles, where the shadows started to become words, written in the most beautiful handwriting Jack had never seen.

_My dearest Jack,_

_I am sorry it has taken me so long to write this letter. I did not know how to start, I did not know how_ _to put centuries into a few simple words. I want you to know that I hold you very dear in my heart and I suffered along with you every second of those three hundred years you spent alone. I am really sorry that you had to go through that. I need you to understand that it was never my intention to condemn you, I'm afraid that was your own doing, son. You were only invisible to humans, you could have always interact with other spirits. You, my dear boy, just managed to build quite a reputation for yourself in a very short time. I never intended for you to be alone, it was you who pushed everyone away, including me_.

Jack wanted to protest, but he was speechless.

_I did not choose you to be a Guardian the day you fell into the frozen lake. I had chosen you long before that, when you were only little. I could see what was inside your soul, Jackson Overland, I could see your centre, I could see the man you would become. But that fateful day forced me to turn you into a spirit prematurely. I was hoping to do it towards the end of your human life, both to allow you to live your life fully, and to give wisdom a chance to tame your centre._

_It was all my fault. I had never transformed anyone under your circumstances before, and I did not know you would loose all of your memories, I did not know I would not be able to communicate with you after the transformation was over. I only managed to tell you your new name before our connection was forever lost_.

_I tried to communicate with you in any way I could, but as time went by you got more and more bitter and it was harder for me to get your attention. I wish I could have made this easier for you. I am sorry that I failed you._

_I did not send the Guardians to look for you, because I thought this was a journey you had to complete on your own. I was so wrong. You needed to learn self control before you were ready to fulfill your destiny. But you never did. You needed the guidance and the love that I failed to give you. I regret my decisions everyday, my dear, dear Jack._

_You were right, I only told the Guardians about you because I knew they would need all the help they could get, not because I thought you were ready. I never gave you enough credit, Jack and for that I'm sorry. Of course you surprised me and everyone else when you stepped up to your new role and joined your new family, as if you always belonged to the team, as if you had never been so alone..._

_We have another challenge ahead of us, but this time, I want to be there for you. Jack, you are fun personified. You are well natured, but mischievous by definition and you cannot be anything different- nor do we want you to be. Because of your prankster nature, your soul is not completely pure, not completely good. I'm afraid I do not believe we will ever find a cure for you._

'Here it comes...' thought the hellion.

_I believe in you, Jack Frost. I made plenty of mistakes with you, but choosing you was not one of them. I know you can control this. And if you cannot, we always have Tooth -yes, that was a joke._

_I just wanted to say that I love you and that I'm sorry. I know that you can overcome everything and I want to be there for you this time._

_Sincerely,_

_Manny_

_P.S: Tonight's lighting is on me. Good luck, not that you need it_.

Jack stayed frozen in place long after the words disappeared from the granite floor.

* * *

**Don't worry. I won't take another week to post the next one (which hopefully is the end. I can't promise). Reviews? Requests?**


	34. Together

Gretchen was sitting on her bed reading a human magazine. She found them really entertaining for the wrong reasons as they provided a lot of material for her natural sarcasm to run wild.

"Hey sis!" said Gaia smiling from the door. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine" replied the Groundhog.

"G'day, Love" said the voice Gretch really wanted to hear.

"You know that it's evening, right?" she replied smiling.

Crikey. She looked terrible and wonderful at the same time. Terrible because her fur lacked its usual silky gloss and her olive eyes looked almost half their regular size. A big wool sweater covered her gorgeous body because the yetis insisted that the workshop was too cold for her right now. She was also missing her energy, her attitude, that which made her so annoying and so alluring at the same time. Beautiful because she was here, she was alive, smiling at him. He could see it in her eyes that she was excited to see him, as if she had missed him in the short hour he had been away, her smile illuminating the whole room. Beautiful because he had missed her too.

"Are you sure you can do this?" asked Mother Nature, eyeing her friend suspiciously. Bunny was not the only one who though Gretch looked terrible.

"Yes. I need to get out of this room and eat some real food, not stuff from a plastic bag" replied the Groundhog.

Gaia pushed the wheeled pole holding the bag of clear IV fluid before she realized her friend was pulling the needle right off her arm. She cringed, but it seemed to have bothered her more than Gretchen.

Bunny smiled watching the two women. He moved closer to the Groundhog hesitantly offering his arms to her. He didn't think she wanted to be carried to the dinning room but the distance was too long for her to walk. It was his arms or a wheelchair. He was thrilled to find that, not only did she take his arms but she clung to his neck and buried her face on his shoulder, inhaling his smell of spring, of home. He held her as tight as he could against his body, kissing her cheek.

"I'll... go ahead... save us some seats... later." said Gaia as she left the room as quickly as she could. Even though it was innocent, the gestures were so intimate, so full of emotion that she felt as if she was witnessing something she shouldn't have.

* * *

Dinner went by uneventful. There was still some tension between Bunny and Kozmotis, but nothing that a slap on the pooka's head- courtesy of Gretchen- couldn't resolve. They mostly just laughed and joked, happy to be celebrating together.

They danced to the rhythm of the beautiful music played by the elves, Gaia dancing on Kozmotis shoes like when she was a little girl, Tooth, Jack, Sandy and North dancing together in a circle and Bunny spinning Gretchen around in his arms, until the bells announced the New year.

"Happy New Year!" they all yelled as confetti fell from the ceiling and fireworks illuminated the sky thanks to the Sandman.

Jack pecked Tooth's lips quickly before pushing her towards the others disappearing as she got wrapped in hugs and kisses before she could realize what was going on.

After wishing Happy New Year to North, Sandy, Gaia and Kozmotis -she couldn't find Bunny and Gretchen, even though she could have sworn they were just there a second ago- she turned around looking for her favorite winter spirit but he was no where to be found. She noticed the beautiful frost patterns on the floor and followed them smiling. As she walked towards the balcony, she noticed the frost was forming feathers and snowflakes that seemed to shine with a light of their own. She thought it was a special gift for her. Maybe he had decided to accept her offer of moving in together after all.

As she walked further outside, she noticed the beautiful ice pedestal, adorned with carvings of the same snowflakes and feathers she had been following. And on top of the pedestal, something shiny that filled the balcony with green and yellow hues. It took her a few seconds to realize what it was. A ring. A very beautiful antique ring. It had a rose gold shank and ornate split shoulders. A beautiful rose cut emerald was mounted in the round closed back setting, surrounded by ten small yellow diamonds, a few millimeters away from each other, showcasing the beautiful color of the metal.

Her wings stopped and her feet touched the ground, but just before she started hyperventilating, she felt the cold hand holding hers.

"Tooth..." Jack whispered. He knew she wouldn't say no, didn't he? Then why was he so nervous? "You have been my first everything. My first kind smile, my first word of comfort, my first hug, my first kiss. I want you to be my last everything too. My everything. Toothie..." he said, going down on one knee.

She wanted to stop him, he didn't have to kneel for her, not in his current state, but she was completely frozen in place.

"Would you spend the rest of forever by my side? Would you marry me?" he continued, his voice trembling with emotion.

She forgot how to speak, but happy tears ran down her cheeks as she nodded compulsively and smiled widely. He stood up to stand in front of her, cupping her face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away her tears as he closed the gap between them.

His smile kissed hers, slowly and gently, as if she was the most precious thing in the world, because well, she was. Their lips danced to the music they knew so well for a few minutes before they broke apart. Jack reached for the ring, eager to see what it would look like on her hand.

"Mandy gave it to me. It's been in our family since forever. It's from the XVIII century! I mean, someone may have got it as an antique, but it's possible it belonged to my sister! Or her daughter! How cool would that be?! Mandy was saving it for Jamie, but she thought it was better if we had it. It will be in our family forever..." he said, putting the ring on her finger, which was harder than it should have been as they were both shaking uncontrollably.

"There..." he added, admiring his handy work. "I'm sorry you won't be able to wear it just yet, a little diamond is loose, that's why Mandy had it with her when all this started, she was going to get it fixed."

Tooth giggled. She wouldn't be able to wear it anyway. It was at least two sizes too big for her tiny fingers. But she loved it.

"Jack..." she breathed, trying to find her voice again. "It is perfect. The ring, this moment, you..."

She couldn't finish, as Jack's cold lips found their way to hers once more, kissing her again, a little more passionate this time, a little more urgent. His lips drew a path down her cheek, down her soft neck, until his nose found his favorite spot and he buried his head in her shoulder.

They stayed in each other's arms for a long time, until they felt the moonlight illuminate their faces, and when they turned around they found North, Sandy, Gaia and Kozmotis smiling at them.

* * *

When the bells announced the New Year, Gretchen was dancing in Bunny's arms.

"Happy New Year, Love!" he said, looking into her eyes.

"Happy New Year, Peter Rabbit!" she replied, smiling widely.

He saw something in her eyes, a spark that wasn't there earlier. Both his hands were on each side of her neck, his thumbs stroking her jaw gently, setting her skin on fire, making her feel alive again. She smiled as he moved closer, brushing their lips together. He kissed her as gently as he could, as if he was afraid she would break. Gretchen smiled as she pulled him closer, her lips hungry for his, her claws digging into his fur, feeling the strong muscles of his back.

He more than happily gave into her wishes, kissing her back with all the passion he had been restraining, pulling her as close as he dared, his hands drawing her small waist, his lips ravaging hers, feeling her body melting under his touch, until he realized her breathing became hard and irregular and he pulled apart, touching their noses together.

"I'm so... tired" she breathed, burying her face in his neck.

Bunny smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"I know. Come, I'll take you to bed." he said, lifting her up.

The pooka walked down the long corridor with the Groundhog in his arms until they reached the medical room. He laid her down on her bed and snuggled up next to her, his arm around her waist pressing her tight against his body, his head buried in her back and they both drifted into oblivion as her fingers drew patterns on his hands.

THE END

* * *

**Who wants an epilogue? We could have JackXTooth wedding (that can be a different story), Jack and the kids or some steamy Grabbit when Gretchen is feeling better ;)**

**What would you like?**


	35. Epilogue Part I

Sorry, I was not trying to be a naughty author, I had a little health scare this week and my head was somewhere else. Don't worry, it's all cool, we dodge that bullet :)

On the bright side... IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!

I also broke this thing in two parts because the voting was almost unanimously 'all of the above' and it was getting too long.

* * *

Jamie opened his eyes and smiled. The old theatre's window was covered in beautiful frost patterns, hiding the fluffy snow adorning the ground outside. Written with a finger, a note:

SEE YOU OUTSIDE KIDDO

The kid literally jumped out of his bed and ran over to wake up his friends.

"Hey, guys! Wake up! Snow day! It's a snow day! C'mon, let's go!" he yelled, jumping around the shelter.

Mandy offered to look after the kids as they all headed outside and she realised Jack hadn't come alone when the little arms wrapped around several 'invisible' waists. A couple of minutes went by before the winter spirit freed himself from the eager arms and flew towards her.

"So... how did it go?" she asked. He answered with a toothy smile.

"Congratulations!" she said pulling him into a big hug.

She wanted to ask him more, but they were suddenly showered by snowballs.

"Jamie!" yelled Mandy in her best 'you're in big trouble' tone.

"What? You can't be angry standing next to uncle Jack!" he said winking at the hellion, who wasted no time blowing a shiny blue snowflake into the woman's face.

Mrs Bennett picked up a pile of snow and hit her son straight in the forehead smiling widely.

"Snowfight!" yelled North, chasing after the kids with an ice shotgun that apparently didn't need to be reloaded.

Jack chuckled as Monty hit Sandy's head with an oversized snowball and Tooth had to push the winter boy out of the way of Cupcake's attack.

"What the...?" said Gretchen, realising how quickly the fight had erupted and not really eager on getting snow on her fur.

"Yeah, Guardian of Fun, remember? C'mon, let's get Soph out of the way. Just wait till you meet her. She's the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world. Don't tell Frostbite, but I'm head over heels for her. "

Gretchen didn't even know what to do with that information, but before she could get herself too worked up, he pulled her by the hand through the snowball fight, not so successfully avoiding the attacks. She saw Bunny grabbing something from the ground before turning around the ruined building, and she couldn't help smiling when she realised that the 'something' was a little girl wrapped in winter clothes way too big for her tiny body. Her messy blond hair was covering half of her face, but the Groundhog could still see her big smile as the toddler clung to her favourite Guardian.

"Uncle Bunny!" she said, her arms so tight around his neck that he could barely breathe. She assumed that if Jack was her uncle, Bunny would be her uncle too, and Bunny wasn't about to set that straight anytime soon.

"Sophie, there's someone I want you to meet." said the pooka pointing at Gretchen when he could finally escape the embrace. Sophie looked puzzled. "This is Gretchen. She's the Groundhog. Do you know about her?"

The toddler's eyes grew big as Gretchen appeared right in front of her and she ran to hide behind Bunny.

"Told ya' they would see you. Thanks to Jack and Jamie the Burgess kids believe in everything." said Aster smiling.

The Groundhog kneeled down next to Sophie.

"Hey, it's OK. I'm a friend." she said smiling kindly.

Sophie stared at her for a few seconds before reaching for her face.

"You're pretty!" said the little girl smiling.

"So are you" replied Gretchen smiling back. "Wait a minute! Are those fairy wings! I'm a fairy too!"

"You don't look like a fairy..." replied Sophie, skeptical.

"So I've been told... but I can prove it..." offered Gretchen smiling as many flowers started appearing around the little girl.

"You are a fairy! A real fairy!" said Sophie, throwing herself in the Groundhog's arms.

Bunny smiled widely before he heard it. Claws scratching the ground accompanied by low, menacing growls. Gretchen's eyes widened as she noticed the pooka's expression and her fears were confirmed when she saw him running away. Wait a minute! Running away? Leaving the two of them behind? Before she could make sense of what was going on, she heard Sophie yelling excited.

"Abby! Abby!"

The Groundhog chuckled as she saw the greyhound running towards her boyfriend and the little girl jumping and clapping.

"A dog? You... hahaha... are running away... hehehe... from a dog?" she said laughing uncontrollably.

"Yeah, bloody hilarious! You're a fairy, do something!" he yelled, running away from the dog who seemed to be catching up with him.

"Hahaha... I would... I just... hahaha...can't stop... laughing... hehehe... no problem chasing fearlings... but a dogie... hahahaha..." she replied tearful.

* * *

Almost an hour passed before the kids collapsed exhausted on the ground, laughter still escaping their lips as Jamie and the twins argued which team had won.

"We... are going to need refreshment!" panted North. "Twinkle! Get the provisions!"

The elf walked to the sleigh and brought with him a basket full of cookies and fruitcakes, as well as a big jug of piping hot chocolate.

"We actually came here today because we have something to tell you..." said Jack as the kids gathered around the food. All the eyes focused on him, curious. "Tooth and I are getting married." he continued, holding the fairy's hand "and we would like you all to be part of our wedding."

"Oh! That's so sweet!" said Cupcake excited.

"Congratulations!" said Pippa, hugging Tooth.

"That's awesome!" said Jamie. "Would that make you my aunt?"

"I... suppose so..." said Tooth smiling.

"Yey! The Tooth Fairy will be my aunt!" said Jamie, making his mom and the Guardians laugh loudly.

North couldn't help but noticed Monty's long face.

"Hey" he said, sitting on the snow next to him.

"Hey" replied the boy without looking at him.

"You know... I remember when I was your age. Long time ago, hehe." said North. Monty didn't laugh. "No matter. There was this girl... so beautiful I was sure I never see any girl like her again. She chose someone else, no? I was very sad..."

"Are you trying yo make me feel better? Because it's not working..." replied Monty.

"But, I learned that there are many fish in sea. There was actually a nice fish already hooked and I didn't see" said North winking and turning towards Cupcake.

"Oh. Ooh! Really?" asked the kid wide- eyed. "How do you know?"

"I feel it. In my belly!" smiled Santa.

* * *

The morning light caressed Gretchen's face, making her aware of her body, aware of the now familiar arm laying around her waist, making her feel protected. She was strong, she had magic, she freaking didn't need to feel protected and she certainly never enjoyed the feeling before. But now, there she was, more than happy to be protected in his strong arms.

They never really made it official and even they were not sure when exactly she moved in. She just woke up like this after he took her out on a date and she felt so... at home, like she was exactly where she was supposed to be. And judging by his smile and his kind hospitality he had felt the same. She stayed for one day, and then another day, and a couple more. She took a few things from Mother Nature's Palace to be more comfortable, and she kept taking all of her things one by one until Bunny's otherwise manly bathroom was adorned by flower shaped scented soap. If it bothered him, he never showed it. In fact, he seemed more than happy for the Groundhog to put her feminine touch around the warren. It was her home now, after all. Their home.

Her fuzzy brain was trying to tell her something, something important. She had this sense of urgency, as if she was supposed to be somewhere else right now. And then a smile adorned her face as she felt the wondrous lips playing with the sensitive skin of her nape, leaving a trace of goosebumps as they went kissing and biting. His arm moved from around her waist to join the party, caressing her neck, her chest, moving around her body possessively grabbing what belong to him, stealing moans from her sweet lips.

Her brain kept trying to tell her something, but it was so hard to think when his hands and lips worked together. He flipped her over so that her face was in front of him and his hands had access to her hips as his lips bit and sucked her wonderful skin, sending her straight to heaven.

"Bunny..." she whispered his name in his ear, like she always did in this kind of situations. He smiled and bit a little harder, causing her to open her eyes as little meow escaped her throat.

"Oh shit!" she said, looking at the clock, realising that they were getting really, really late.

But the pooka interpreted the cry somewhat differently and when she shifted her body to get up from the bed, he shifted his so that he was lying on top of her. She growled. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, but they really needed to go.

"We are fucking late!" she said, pushing him away.

"What?" he asked, before his own brain worked it out. "Toothie is going to kill us..." he whispered, but he pulled her back on the bed when she tried to get up. "I'm sure ten minutes won't make any difference..." he said winking, but she was having none of that. Maid's of honour had responsibilities.

"No way! You get in the shower while I make some breakfast." she ordered, getting up again.

"Sure, if I wanted to redecorate the kitchen after you burn it down. You get in the shower." he retorted, remembering her fist attempt at making them breakfast. She tried to fry some eggs and the pan somehow caught on fire.

"Yeah, right. The moment I step in the shower you will get yourself in there too and we are running out of time." she added.

"I promise I'll make breakfast" he said with a suspiciously innocent look on his face.

Gretchen should have known better than to underestimate how quickly a pooka can mix something up and put it in the oven.

She tried to protest when he stepped inside the shower, but when he pinned her against the wall she knew it was game over as his lips ravaged hers, making her loose all control over her own body.

The worse part? Breakfast was freaking delicious.  
-


	36. Epilogue Part II

**This chapter is dedicated to Faleno, whose beautiful drawings have provided inspiration for another story. Thank you.**

**Sorry for the long wait, it is a very long chapter. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has followed this story and especially to my regulars, who always feed my reviews addiction. I hope this meets your expectations.**

**Thanks to everyone for my Birthday wishes last week, I did get them all in time and you put a big smile on my face. **

* * *

"Aarrrr" screamed Tooth in frustration as she tried to put her dress on. For someone who hadn't wore clothing in millennia, getting inside an intricate wedding gown proved to be very challenging.

"What's wrong?" asked Gretchen casually as she entered the room without knocking. She was trying to pretend that she wasn't horribly late.

"What's wrong?! My makeup is all wrong and if I tell Gaia she'll melt my groom and I look horrible and now I can't even get inside this stupid thing and you weren't here and Jack's going to hate me...!" replied Tooth before she started hyperventilating. She was talking so fast the Groundhog could barely understand what she was saying.

"Little miss sunshine!" shouted Gretchen, grabbing her by the arms. "Your make up is perfect. You look gorgeous and even if you didn't, you know handsome would love you anyway. Just take a deep breath."

Tooth looked at her teary, breathing in and out slowly.

"I can't get this thing on. It's so frustrating!" she complaint.

"That's because your arm goes through here." said Gretchen sliding the fabric over the girl's shoulder and zipping her up.

"How do you know how to do this?" asked Tooth.

"I used to help my mother get dressed all the time. And of course Gaia sometimes... Wow, you look amazing!" replied Gretchen smiling widely.

"Do I?" asked the Fairy Queen incredulous.

"See for yourself..." offered the Groundhog turning her towards the mirror.

Toothiana could barely recognise the pretty girl staring back at her. Her amethyst eyes were framed with green eyeshadow almost as vibrant as her own feathers and her lips were now a glossy pale pink making he look like picture in a magazine. And then, there was the dress. Gretchen and the fairies designed it so that it would cover the bold patches on her plumage while showcasing her beautiful feathers. Needless to say they succeeded. Interlaced ivory flowers wrapped around her left shoulder, cascading down up to her ribs where they started fading away, giving way to the gorgeous white satin underneath that ended at her hips, where long sheer white chiffon columns floated in the air covering her legs as she hovered in place. The little flowers left the right side of her abdomen and back uncovered, making her waist look smaller than it actually was. She was wearing a gorgeous diamond headpiece on the left side of her head and the heart shaped pendant Jack gave her for Christmas around her neck.

"Gretchen, it's perfect! I love you!" said Tooth, wrapping her arms around her maid of honour.

"Yeah... I guess I love you too, little miss sunshine."

* * *

A clock and a number five appeared on Sandy's head.

"Five minutes, heh?" breathed Jack. He couldn't explain why he was nervous. He wanted this more than anything else in the world. Plus he knew that this wasn't even a _real_ wedding, yet his hands were still colder than usual and his feet seemed unable to stay in one place.

"You OK, mate?" asked Bunny, noticing the winter boy's face looked bluer than usual.

"Yeah. It's just that all this feels a bit silly." he replied.

Bunny smiled kindly. He understood what Jack meant. For hours they had been ushered around, getting more instructions than anyone could remember, forced to wear ties and hair gel- the pooka was thanking the moon that he was a rabbit and he couldn't wear a suit- and they were exhausted before the wedding had even started.

"I know!" said Bunny and Sandy laughed, showing them images of dresses and suits.

"I mean, what can Tooth possibly wear that would look better than her feathers!" said Jack smiling. Talking was making him feel more relaxed.

"Mate, it was just a stupid ide... ouch!" said Bunny before Gretchen, who was just entering the room, slapped the back of his head.

"For your information, it was _my_ idea!" she said, glaring at Bunny "and for your information, it was for _your_ benefit, you idiot!" she said to Jack as her index finger touched his chest. "Without the dress, this wedding wouldn't have happened for years! You would've had to wait for her feathers to grow back and then for little miss sunshine to be convinced that they did! So you better start thanking me now... wait a minute... where are your shoes!"

"Yeah...shoes... _that_ was pushing it." replied Jack.

The Groundhog was about to yell at him again when she realised that someone was missing.

"Where the heck is Jolly Rogers?!" she asked, looking around frantically.

"He was here a second a..." replied the pooka before he saw North entering the room carrying a big plate of cookies. His otherwise immaculate grey suit was sprinkled with golden crumbs. Gretchen glared at him.

"Cookie?" asked North, offering her the plate.

"Out there. Three minutes. No cookie crumbs." she managed to say between her teeth, using all the self restraint she had as she fixed her own dress. "You..." she said grabbing Bunny by his wrist "come with me" and she dragged him out of the room.

"Sheila..." the pooka said sheepishly.

"What?!" she asked harshly.

"You look gorgeous." he offered smiling. She smiled back at him and wrapped her arm around his as they walked towards Tooth's bedroom.

* * *

Jack was standing next to Sandy, his best man, looking paler than ever. His hands were sweating, which was very unusual for the winter spirit and he kept switching his weight from one leg to the next. He almost fainted when the music started playing. Thank goodness it was the sweetest music in the world, an ancient melody Tooth's mother used to play for her when she was a little girl. The hellion didn't recognise the song, yet somehow it felt familiar. Perhaps he had heard his bride humming it before. His bride...

He was so lost in his own thoughts that little Sophie was halfway through the aisle when he noticed her, wearing a champagne colour princess dress and a crown of small flowers on her head. For the first time her face wasn't hidden behind her golden hair, which today was curly. She looked like a little queen, no, she looked like an angel. Sophie smiled at him as she spread flower petals all around and when she ran out of them, she threw the little basket on the floor and ran towards him.

"Uncle Jack! You look pretty!" she said, jumping into his arms. Everyone chuckled.

"Not as pretty as you!" replied Jack suppressing a laugh. "Can you go and sit next to mommy for a little while?" he said, pointing towards where she was supposed to go.

"Yes." she said, kissing his cheek before walking towards a smiling Mandy who couldn't see anything but the chairs, the grass, the children and her beloved winter boy. But that didn't stopped her from being thrilled at sharing this day with him.

When the winter boy looked up, he saw Baby Tooth wearing a tiny dress identical to Sophie's and carrying the smallest flower bouquet ever. Next to her was Gretchen walking towards him wearing a simple strapless dress in the same champaign colour. It clung tightly to her body showcasing her amazing figure, udoubtely inherited from her mother. She was sexy and she knew it; she was rocking that catwalk... eh, aisle... smiling and waving. Jack had to make a huge effort to suppress a laugh and he decided to focus on the kids instead.

Pippa and Caleb- or was it Claude? It was hard to tell with identical outfits and hairstyles- were walking down the white carpet now. He was wearing a grey suit with a tie that matched the colour of the girls dresses and she was wearing a strapless version of Sophie's gown and carrying a small flower bouquet. Her hair was also curly, adorned by a big flower on one side. Behind them there were Cupcake and the other twin wearing identical outfits. Jack felt a knot in his stomach. He hadn't realised until that point just how big the kids had gotten. They were almost teenagers now and it wouldn't be long before they stopped believing... he felt his eyes prickling but he kept smiling. Today was not a day for sadness.

His smile widened when he saw Jamie and Monty walking towards him with the wedding bands. They kept them simple, just plain white gold for his and rose gold for Tooth's to complement her engagement ring. They were both engraved on the inside with their wedding date, a feather and a snowflake. The winter spirit was making funny faces for the two boys when his jaw dropped. Tooth... the sun was beginning to set behind her and Bunny, the orange and pink hues illuminating her feathers and the white satin of her dress- or maybe she was just glowing, judging by the huge smile on her face. She was... stunning didn't quite cover it. Her eyes seemed to jump out of her face, holding his prisoner.

"Fair to say he's not disappointed..." whispered Bunny, noticing Jack's expression.

Tooth clung tightly to the pooka's arm. She was walking instead of flying to keep up with her companion and she feared that without his arms to support her, her legs wouldn't hold her weight. She was glad that her big brother had offered to give her away, because she had no idea how she would have done this without him. Her body was trembling from head to toe and she wished the pooka would just walk faster so she could take her winter boy's hand, so she could loose herself in his deep blue eyes that had her on a trance.

After a minute that seemed like a decade she was finally standing next to her groom. She felt Bunny kissing her temple before letting go of her arm but she didn't look at him, her eyes were still locked on Jack. He was always imposibly handsome, but today his rebel hair was combed back elegantly and he looked like a Prince in that black suit, his bare feet making him look even sexier, even more Jack... she could barely believe that his lopsided grin was for her, that she was the one standing here about to join her life to his forever.

North smiled as he started his speech.

"Dear friends, thank you all for coming here today as we celebrate the journey Jack and Tooth are embarking. Their love shines through the darkness, bringing hope and warmth wherever they go and in this rather beautiful day they want to share with all of us their decision to spend the rest of forever together, to form a new family filled with love and happiness- and hopefully grandchildren" he added winking.

"I cannot think of a purest love than theirs and I cannot think of a better way to honour what the Guardians are all about than with this union of love and innocence and family.

Jack, I remember the first day you talked to me about your feelings for Tooth, you said it was like your whole world revolved around her" the winter spirit face turn slightly blue as he smiled sheepishly. "I bet it still does, no?" continued North, smiling as well.

"And Tooth, I've seen your love bring the best of Jack in his darkest moments, but I have also seen his bringing the best of you. Ever since he joined our family you smile more, play more, work less and spend more time with the children, more time filling other lives with your immense kindness and your endless love.

From this day forward, you vow to share your lives, to share your happiness, your hopes and dreams. To fight together in your darkest times, to rejoice together in your brighter ones, but most of all, to continue to love one another and to cherish your time together.

Jamie, would you care to bring the rings over? Now, Jack and Tooth wish to share their vows as the exchange rings..."

'That seemed like a good idea at the time...' thought Jack as he nervously reached out for the tiny ring.

"Tooth..." he said, his trembling hand trying to slide the wedding band on her small finger "thank you. Thank you for believing in me when even I couldn't. Thank you for your love and your kindness, for your warm arms that have become my home, for your beautiful eyes that can see my soul. Please keep this ring forever, as I'll keep you forever in my heart..."

Tooth swallowed a big knot on her throat, fighting happy tears. She took the white gold ring, so big in comparison to hers

"Jack, I love you" she said holding his hand and sliding the band on his cold finger. "I have been around longer than I can remember but I never loved like this before. It's like my whole life I was waiting just for you, as if I was incomplete before you arrived. You are my happiness, my home, my purpose. Please accept this ring, a symbol of my eternal love."

"That was beautiful..." said North, teary "thank you. I know your road has been long and lonely, but it led you to your ultimate home- your love, and today you vow that none of you would ever be alone again because you will always have each other. It is with great pride that I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Frost.

Jack and Tooth stayed frozen in place, staring into each other eyes for what seemed like forever, when the sound of North clearing his throat brought them back to earth.

"You can kiss the bride now" said the Russian man winking at Jack.

The winter spirit wrapped his arms around his fairy's waist and kissed her gently, before burying his face in his favourite spot, oblivious to the guests clapping and whistling, to the moon shinning brightly in the sky.

* * *

Their first dance was very short. Just when they were about to let go, as the crowd dissapeared in the background and they started hovering off the ground, they were interrupted by Mandy and North, and then Sandy and Gretchen, Gaia and Kosmotis, Cupid and... Jack wasn't even sure who he was dancing with now. All he knew is that is his Tooth was dancing with Bunny too far away from him.

* * *

The bride and groom sat by the small lake, stealing a moment of privacy, away from the loudness of a party that was in full throttle.

Tooth was wearing Jack's jacket over her shoulders and her arm was wrapped around his. They were just sitting there in a comfortable silence, rejoicing on their love, on how perfect this day, this moment was.

"Mrs. Frost" she breathed, breaking the stillness.

"Mrs. Frost" he repeated smiling widely.

"Oh! I just thought of something. Now that you're my husband I can do it anytime I want!" she said excitedly.

"Toothie, you always look at my teeth anytime you want anyway!" he replied amused.

"Yes, but now you can't refuse..." she continued.

"It's not like you ever give me a chance to refu..." he said laughing before he felt the tiny fingers scrutinising the inside of his mouth.

"Yeah, but now, I don't have to feel bad about it." she added as she forced his mouth open.

"Wow, they're so perfect!" she said, touching her nose to his.

"I love you, Mrs. Frost" he said with a toothy smile.

"I love you Mr. Frost" she said too, before cold lips met warm ones.

**THE END**

* * *

**I know some of you wanted steamy Jack and Tooth, but I didnt want it to look like they were just getting married to have sex. I do have a request for a Honeymoon story, which I'll work on, but I think I'll take a couple of weeks off first. I do recomend madsthenerdgirl stories, she's extremely talented and her stories are steamy yet sweet and tasteful. Here are the links:**

** s/9375312/1/Admiring-Teeth**

** s/9436391/1/The-Groundhog-Wouldn-t-Do-This**

** s/9707198/1/Natural**

**While your at it, leave her a review, shes so fantastic her stories deserve way more attention than what they're getting.**


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